Growth Spurt
by freakyanimegal
Summary: While exploring the Darkness Temple Lloyd unwittingly is separated from his friends and encounters a mysterious being that calls him a child. A child that would be a good opponent in ten years. The next thing Lloyd knows he is unconscious, and...older...?
1. Chapter 1

**Yes, I KNOW I have too many stories going! This is kind of my break from the norm, all right? This is going to be a **

**SHORT, SIMPLE story. Yes, it is possible for me to write one. I haven't done it in a while so I figured I'd break from my **

**usual 'epic plot' stories for a while... This will be maybe ten chapters max. I figure once I'm done with this I might get **

**some plotbunnies out of my head and get some more working for my other stories... Regardless of the reason, however, **

**I hope you like it all the same. n.n**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Growth Spurt**

The group was stumbling through the temple of darkness, attempting to find the last piece of shadow in order to make the

second to final pact and hopefully disconnect the worlds. Thing was, seeing as it was very dark it was also very easy

for...say...someone to trip and fall down one of the holes in the floor.

"Woah-!

"Lloyd-?!"

"LLOYD!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!"

Lloyd fell and hit cold floor beneath him, having not been for the exsphere it would have most likely been a fatal fall. The teen

groaned and sat up, looking around his surroundings. It was pitch-black, without the blue candle the group had he couldn't

see an inch in front of his nose...

"Dammit...where am I...?"

_**Warrior...**_

"H-huh-?!"

Lloyd got to his feet, drawing his swords on instinct.

"W-who's there?!"

_**Have you come to challenge me...?**_

Lloyd shuddered, unnerved by the hellish tone that spoke to him.

"N-no, m-me and my friends were just passing through...I...I didn't mean to disturb-"

Bright red eyes flared in the darkness.

"Woah-!!"

Lloyd's swords were knocked out of his hands, the boy yelping before finding himself gazing straight into large, glowing red

eyes. The boy gasped, unable to break his gaze from the hypnotic irises.

_**You're merely a child...**_

"W-what?! I'm not a kid!" Lloyd snapped defiantly.

_**A child you are, no matter how skilled...hm...boring.**_

Lloyd glared, his irises blazing.

_**...But a strange skilled child...hm...ten years or so might shape you into a fine opponent.**_

"Ten years...?" Lloyd frowned, then glared. "I could take you on now!"

_**Hehehehe...courageous brat...that settles it.**_

"...S-settles what...?" Lloyd stammered.

_**Good night.**_

"H-huh? Good night? What are you-?"

Lloyd hit the floor.

* * *

It was several minutes later when a pink-winged figure descended into the abyss, calling out the name of her red-clad friend.

Using her angelic senses she spotted Lloyd and swooped down to find him fast asleep...

"Lloyd...?" she whispered. "Lloyd, wake up."

The blond gently shook her friend, getting no response from him. Concerned now, she looked around the area to find

nothing but his discarded blades. She sheathed his swords and then picked him up via her angelic strength, flying back up to

the rest of the group. The Professor would know what was wrong with him, the Professor knew everything. However, when

she did rejoin her friends their first course of action was to leave the temple in order to get Lloyd someplace safe in order for

their half-elven healer to take a look at him. Of course, as fate would have it, they could find nothing wrong with the boy

except he simply would not wake up... That was usually the case anyway, of course, but this time it was so extreme not

even several hard-bound textbooks (courtesy of Genis) to the face could wake him. Needless to say, they became severely

worried.

"What do we do, sis?" Genis asked.

Raine frowned, biting her lip, "I don't...Colette, are you sure he was alone?"

"Y-yes!" Colette nodded. "I went down and I just found him sleeping there!"

"You said his swords were out, though, am I correct?" Raine glanced at her.

Colette nodded again frantically, possibly the most distraught out of all of them. The Professor looked at her sleeping pupil

again and rubbed her forehead, straining to think of what could've done this... She had tried 'recover', 'purify' and 'dispel',

but if this was the result of a spell, it was a damned strong one. The others were becoming antsy as well, unnerved and

worried for their idiotic leader.

"Maybe we should get him to a hospital," Sheena suggested.

"Where? We're wanted, remember?" Zelos asked.

"B-but we have to do something!" Colette stammered.

"The doctor in Flanoir might not have heard about us yet," Sheena told Zelos, "it's very far out there, after all...unless you

have a better idea."

"Regardless, it's getting dark and he can't fly in this condition," Raine stated, "let's set up camp here until we decide on our

next course of action."

* * *

Lloyd was having a strange dream.

He had a dream that he was fighting himself, and he was losing, badly. He gritted his teeth together and tried harder,

attempting to defeat his double. Slowly he began to get the upper-hand, but something felt strange. Why was his double

getting shorter? Then suddenly Lloyd knocked his doppleganger to the floor, and it evaporated, the two large red eyes from

his previous encounter now staring at him.

_**Now you're ready.**_

"Ready...? Ready for what-?"

* * *

Lloyd opened his eyes to dim light, laying flat on his back on a mat with a simple blanket over him as he looked up into a still

mostly darkened sky. Slowly he sat up and looked around... The group was sleeping here and there, the dying embers of a

fire smoldering in the center between them all. He looked around at his friends than at the slip of light which signaled, from

the look of it, a rising sun. Lloyd rubbed his eyes and yawned, rubbing the back of neck. Geez...what happened? His eyes

snapped open wide. Oh yeah! He fell in the Temple and met some kinda...thing, then it called him a kid and then he fell

asleep and had some f'ed up dream... The swordsman groaned again and made a move to roll over and go back to sleep

when he noticed something. His clothes weren't the comfortable fit he remembered, in fact, they felt rather tight... Lloyd

pulled on his collar, attempting to loosen it when he heard a ripping noise. The brunette froze before slowly moving his arms

to find his jacket had bust at the shoulder seams... All the color had drained from Lloyd's face when he looked down at

himself and realized something was very, VERY off...

"HOLY SH-!"

He slammed his hand over his mouth for two reasons. One, he didn't want to wake his companions, two, his voice had

become deep and mature, and though he didn't think of it at the moment it was highly reminiscent of Kratos. He glanced

around a moment more before grabbing his swords and dashing away from the campsite as fast as his now longer legs could

carry him. Once he was convinced he had gone far enough he drew one of his swords and looked at his reflection in the

blade. A strong-jawed, rather attractive man of about twenty-seven gaped back at him. He damn near dropped his sword

before staggering backward to lean against a tree.

"Oh gods..." he whispered, "oh gods..."

A loud whine directed his attention to the side.

"Noishe?" he asked.

The long-eared 'dog' stared at him, tilting its head to the side before growling.

"N-noishe! It's me! Lloyd!" Lloyd stammered.

Noishe continued to growl, stalking toward him.

"Noishe! Really! Please!"

The protozoan stopped its advance and then looked up at the 'strangers' face, looking him over once or twice. He sniffed

Lloyd around the face a moment before barking happily and licking him, wagging his tail.

"N-noishe-! S-stop-!" Lloyd laughed. "St-! Down! Down boy!"

Noishe whined and backed up a step, his ears drooping.

"Sorry Noishe, I'm just a little...shocked, right now..." Lloyd fidgeted, looking at his larger hands, "...what happened to me?"

Noishe whined as Lloyd moved a bit and his shirt ripped some more. Lloyd growled in frustration and then took his jacket off,

leaving only the formerly loose black muscle-shirt he wore beneath.

It made him feel awkward to just be wearing that, but the jacket was too small for his newly broadened shoulders...and the

suspenders had to go too. The extra five or six inches he had suddenly gained made them not only unnecessary but

constricting, leaving him with his formerly baggy pants and the dark muscle-shirt. It was then he noticed something else...he

had apparently gotten beefy. Not huge muscles like Regal, a slim but defined, well sculpted body that was easily visible due

to the clothing he currently had to put up with.

"Uh..." he blushed brightly, "man this is awkward...good thing no one's around."

(Of course, Lloyd had no idea of the multitude of fangirls whom just salivated all over their keyboards...the author of course,

being one of them.)

"Man, what am I going to do...? What happened to me...?" Lloyd frowned.

It was then that the dream came back to him.

"That thing-! That thing did this to me!" he realized. "I'm going to go right back and kick it's freaking-!!"

"Lloyd?"

Lloyd flinched, hearing the voice calling for him.

"Lloooooooooooyd!"

"Lloyd Irving!"

"Bud! Where are you?!"

Lloyd jolted, fear evident in his expression. He couldn't let them see him like this...he just...couldn't. He looked around

frantically a moment before hoping atop Noishe, whom merely whined in curiosity.

"C'mon, Noishe, get me out of here..." he begged quietly.

Noishe hesitated a minute before running off with Lloyd on his back, leaving his friends far behind. The nearest town...that

was Meltokio, damn it... He was wanted there, wasn't he-? ...Wait...no he wasn't...the seventeen year old Lloyd was, but HE

wasn't... Perfect, he'd go there to try to figure out what to do next... He had to find whatever that thing was in the temple,

and once he did he was going to whip it's sorry hide and make a pair of boots out of it.

"There's Meltokio," Lloyd said after a while, "let's go there, Noishe."

Meanwhile, his friends were panicking to the fullest extent. It didn't help the remnants of Lloyd's shirt were found, seeing as

said idiot had not bothered to pick up the shreds he left at the campsite.

"Did you look over there?" Raine demanded, pointing to her right.

"Yeah, he's not there," Zelos said.

"I looked over by the river," Sheena said.

"I checked the forest," Presea reported.

"Oh where is he?" Colette cried, almost in tears.

"Where is who?"

The group turned on heel at the appearance of a spiky-haired Seraph whom was scanning the area with suspicion in his

eyes. He ignored the looks of hatred and fear from the people assembled when he noticed something. No one was yelling at

him, proclaiming him a traitor and attempting to question him...

"Where's Lloyd?" he asked, putting all his effort to keep his voice its usual monotone.

"What did you do with him!?" Genis cried. "Did you or Cruxis take him?!"

"Obviously not," Kratos snapped, "otherwise I would not have asked where he was."

"Perhaps the Renegades, then?" Raine suggested.

"But don't we have an alliance with them?" Sheena asked.

"Yes, but I don't fully trust them even if Lloyd does," the Professor bit her lip.

"H-hey-! What are you doing by there?!"

Kratos was leaning down by the spot his son had last sleep, his red-brown eyes inspecting the area for clues of any sort.

There was no blood, but then, there didn't necessarily have to be if he was attacked... The Seraph got to his feet and

attempted to sense Lloyd's mana signature, another ability only some of the most advanced angels could preform. There. He

went northeast...

"He headed in that direction," Kratos said.

"You expect us to trust you?" Raine hissed.

"Don't then," he said dangerously, "but that is where he went."

Turning his back on the group the Seraph headed off following Lloyd's mana signature. He had come to warn them about the

pacts a final time, but now his concern was for his son...he had to find him before someone else did.

**Yes I realize this is short, that's kinda the point though. I'll update soon, most likely. n.n I hope you don't mind me doing **

**this as a change of pace, and next chapter will probably be longer. **

**...Review?**


	2. Sheninagins in the City

**I'm back! n.n I think I'll have a muse...Colette?**

**Colette: YAY! Thank you, Freaky! (Hugs)**

**Me: Hey hey hey-! NO HUGS!**

**Colette: Oh, I'm sorry!**

**Me: It's fine, just say the disclaimer.**

**Colette: Freakyanimegal owns nothing! n.n**

**Me: On with chapter two! n.n**

**Shenanigans in the City**

Lloyd nervously walked up to the city as the sun shone brightly in the sky, it was around ten in the morning by the looks of it.

Noishe trotted along beside him as the swordsman nervously approached the guards standing by the entrance...

"Good day," one nodded.

"Er...Yes, have a nice morning," Lloyd said slowly before walking right past the guards whom would've attempted to capture

him beforehand.

The brunette let out a sigh of relief as he entered the city, looking in his pack to see what it was he had managed to bring

with him. He had some gald on him, a couple gels, a life bottle and the book Dirk had given him that listed all the dwarven

vows. Lloyd's stomach growled suddenly, oh great, he didn't have any food... He sighed before noticing something else. He

had a couple beast fangs...great! They easily sold for a thousand gald a piece, that should help...

"Excuse me, sir..."

Lloyd flinched and looked to his side, where a woman was looking up at him (seeing as he had now surpassed six feet).

"Uh...May I help you with something?"

'May I'?! Since when did he say 'May I'?!

"Well..." she fidgeted a bit, "are you...new here?"

Lloyd blinked.

"...I'm just passing through," he said.

"Oh, I see..." she said, "are you...busy?"

"Eh?" Lloyd frowned.

"I just wanted to know if you'd like to join me for brunch," she smiled.

It was as if he got hit by a rock.

"W-what-!?" he stammered, face flushing.

"Huh...? What? Did I say something strange?" she asked.

"N-no-! I just-! I-! I've got somewhere I have to go, sorry, bye!!"

Lloyd dashed off away from the woman, flushing bright red. Once he was convinced he had gone far enough he leaned

against a building, attempting to catch his breath and slow his rushing heart.

"Oh my g-! I can't believe that just...! Ugh..." he shuddered.

Then again, maybe he should get to a tailor...after all, it wasn't that surprising that had happened seeing as he was walking

around in a muscle-shirt for the entire female population to gawk at. He shuddered a bit and rubbed his arm, unnerved at

the more defined biceps...

"Okay...first thing's first..." he said.

With that he made a beeline for the tailor parlor he had spotted before when walking through the city with his friends,

remembering it to be somewhere around the weapon shop 'Trupelos'. Luckily, he found it before he got anything more than

a few second glances from passing women.

"Hello!" the woman at the counter smiled. "Can I help you, sir?"

"Er..yeah," Lloyd said, "I kind of need a new jacket..."

"Hm, okay, stand right here please."

"All right..."

Lloyd slowly moved where she indicated, standing before a three-profile mirror. The color drained out of his face upon seeing

his new body fully for himself. That and something about his new face was familiar...like he'd seen it before... He mentally

smacked himself. Of course he saw it before! It was his face! ...But...there was something else...something like nostalgia...

"Sir? Are you all right?"

Lloyd twitched, then nodded.

"Y-yes, sorry about that."

"That's all right, now hold still..."

The woman took his measurements, raising an eyebrow at the numbers she recorded for his shoulders and arms.

"Wow...do you work out?" she asked.

"Uh..." Lloyd flushed.

"Hee hee," she giggled, "oh aren't you cute, shy tough guys are hard to find."

Lloyd shot bright red.

"Oh you're embarrassed," she giggled, "don't worry, I'm engaged anyway."

The swordsman let out a sigh of relief.

"Anyway, I've done the measurements," she said, "any particular design or color?"

"Um...well..."

She sighed, "Men...look, what color do you want it?"

"Red," he said instantly.

"Okay, long-sleeved or short-sleeved?

"Long,"

"Pockets?"

"Um..."

Lloyd thought about it a minute.

"Yeah, sure,"

"Okay then..."

When all was said and done Lloyd left the building with a red jacket trimmed with black, a pocket on each side of the open

zipper which still allowed the black shirt beneath to be seen. Of course, it had the trailings attached to the collar but instead

of the white cloth they had been replaced with black not only because of the shortage of white at the place, but because the

tailor had urged him against it ("White would clash! Go with black! It matches!"). That and he had managed to acquire black

fingerless gloves and a larger pair of red boots, also decided on via color by the tailor. Lloyd sighed, she was kinda

pushy...oh well, at least that was done and over with... Now he could focus on more important things, like getting back to

the temple to-...

"Oh crap..." Lloyd groaned.

He had forgotten to take his rheaird when he left, the temple of course, only being reachable by flight. Great, just great, how

was he supposed to get back now? He couldn't go to his friends looking like this... So where did that leave him? Asking

Yuan? Sure, the Seraph was on their side and all, but even then how was he supposed to find him without an EC?

"Oh man..." he groaned. "What am I going to do...?"

"You could go back to your friends, for one,"

Lloyd jolted about a foot before turning to the source of the voice, which was a very suspicious-eyed Kratos Aurion.

"You...!" Lloyd snarled.

"So it is you," Kratos said softly, his face falling.

"H-huh-? I-..."

Lloyd drew his swords.

"You intend to fight me here?" Kratos asked.

"If you try anything, yes," Lloyd glared.

"Hmph, because of course I'm going to cause a scene in the middle of an incredibly populated area," he stated.

"..." Lloyd slowly relaxed, "...what are you doing here?"

"Given the situation, are you really the one to be asking questions?"

Lloyd flinched a bit, his gaze faltering a minute before he returned a defiant glare to the Seraph...noting he could now look

him in the eye without trying. His body twitched, adrenaline pumping his system when a thought crossed his mind. He was

older, sure, that didn't really make him stronger, but that thing had put him to sleep simply BECAUSE it wanted to fight a

'worthy opponent' or something like that, right? So...what exactly HAD happened to him..and why did he want to fight so

badly? For some reason, he was confident he could hold his own against Kratos even though he knew full well that the lot of

them together couldn't even faze him...

"LLOYD!"

Lloyd flinched, directing his attention down the crowded street.

"Your friends are looking for you," Kratos said simply.

"Oh damn...!" Lloyd whispered, turning to run the opposite direction.

"And where exactly are you going?" Kratos asked, suddenly in front of him.

"Out of my way, Kratos!" he snapped.

"I'd suggest going back to them," the Seraph said coolly.

"I said out of my way!"

Lloyd dashed forward and Kratos drew his sword hilt to hit Lloyd in the gut and hinder his progress. However, something

odd happened. Somehow Lloyd saw the strike coming and brought his own sword back...and actually managed to knock

Kratos out of his way. The Seraph's eyes widened as Lloyd took the opportunity to race off as fast as he could, not stopping

to question what had just happened even though days ago himself actually getting one over on Kratos would be a sign of

the apocalypse. It was barely a few seconds later when the remnants of Lloyd's group caught sight of the somewhat

unnerved Seraph...

"Kratos! You're here too?" Genis asked.

"I see you took my advice after all," he stated.

"Why are you looking for Lloyd?" Raine, always the analytical one asked.

"What I do is none of your concern," Kratos stated, heading after Lloyd.

The seraph growled a bit to himself, looking around some more... He'd lost Lloyd's mana trail, the city was so dense with

them it was easy to confuse such things... Kratos sighed briefly before heading in the direction his son had ran, noting his

friends were doing the same. Meanwhile, Lloyd himself was tearing down the streets as fast as he possibly could. He looked

around for the nearest possible escape... He spotted the coliseum and dashed in, closing the door behind him. The boy- or

rather, man, looked around frantically...where would be a place he could get away from-? Oh yeah! There was that room in

the coliseum combatants waited in before hand... That'd be prefect! ...Except...you had to actually register for the fight to get

in there... He thought a moment, trying to figure out a better way when he heard voice from out the open windows.

"Lloyd!" Genis called.

"Lloyd, where are you?" Sheena cried.

Okay, combatant room it was.

"Uhm..." he raced up to the receptionist, "I'd like to enter solo competition, please?"

"All right, that'll be five-thousand gald," she said.

Lloyd stared.

"F-five thousand-? I can't-!"

"Lloooooooooyyyydd!"

"Okay! Fine! Here!" Lloyd said, pulling out the money.

"All right, please go to the room to the- Hey!"

Lloyd dashed off for the room, the guard stepping aside to allow the 'new combatant' in. No sooner had the door closed

behind him had his group walked into the coliseum, looking around for their friend.

"Do you see him anywhere?" Regal asked.

"Nope," Zelos groaned, "damn it, bud...where'd you go...?"

"Well, he's not here," Raine said, "we should look somewhere else."

"Let's hurry!" Colette said, racing out the door.

"H-hey! Colette! Wait up!" Genis ran after her.

"...Everyone is really concerned..." Presea noted before she did likewise with the others.

Lloyd let out a sigh of relief inside the preparation chamber, convinced that he had at last lost them. ...Then he realized he'd

signed up for the contest.

"Dammit!" he groaned, smacking himself in the face.

...Then again...back there with Kratos...he had actually managed to get Kratos out of his way. Lloyd's eyes widened. He had

ACTUALLY gotten the seemingly invincible man out of his way...and about what he thought about earlier, when that thing

said it'd 'make him a worthy opponent' or something...

"...What did it do to me...?" he whispered.

"Hey you!"

"H-huh? Yeah?" Lloyd looked up.

"You're next, hurry up,"

"...Right," he nodded.

Hm...maybe a fight would do him some good, it'd distract him a little bit and maybe he could see if that thing had done more

than just make him older... The swordsman walked through the door and into the sudden sunshine, thousands of spectators

cheering as they did at the start of every battle.

"Round one!" the emcee shouted, "GO!"

Lloyd drew his swords as the gates opened, sending in two large wolves. The beasts slobbered and stalked toward him,

growling. Lloyd had fought them before, they were easy, really, but...

"Demon fang!"

He expected the usual, that the 'force' of sorts would cause the animal to stagger a moment. What he didn't expect was to

feel as if he had used absolutely no mana, that the attack took about as much effort as blinking. That...and the fact it quite

literally sliced the first wolf in half.

"H-holy crap-!!" he gasped.

The pieces of the corpse flopped onto the ground, the remaining wolf seeming to stare at its companion with equal shock.

However, it shook it off and raced toward Lloyd, who reacted on instinct and used 'beast'...

"What the...?!" he gaped.

The attack blew the canine across the stadium and bashed it into the wall, leaving an imprint. Lloyd gaped like an idiot and a

silence had fallen on the crowd...quickly followed by an eruption of cheers. Lloyd flinched and looked around at the roaring

fans, laughing nervously and wiping his forehead with the back of his arm.

"Wow! An amazing display! Bring on round two!"

A few undertakers...

"...Let's see what else I can do..." he smirked, getting into an offensive stance...

A few rounds later the final monster, a dragon knight, hit the sand with a dying screech. Lloyd sheathed his swords with a

smirk, feeling only about as exhausted as he did after a normal fight accompanied by his friends.

"WE HAVE A NEW CHAMPION!" the emcee cried.

"Whew..." he sighed in relief, grinning, "that was fun."

"Congratulations, sir!" the emcee shook his hand. "May I ask your name?"

"Huh? I'm L-"

Wait..not only was he wanted, but if somehow someone knew him by name they would think of the suspender wearing

teenager... That would probably cause some attention he didn't want right now.

"Your name, sir?" the emcee asked.

"Um...L...Lartan...Albane," he said, "Lartan Albane."

"OUR CHAMPION! LARTAN ALBANE!"

Lloyd let out a sigh of relief, having named himself after two stars in Sylvarant. After all, astronomy was the only scholarly

subject he actually liked.

"LAAAAAAAAARR-TAN!! LAAAAAARR-TAN!" the crowd cheered.

"I LOVE YOU LARTAN ALBANE!!" a woman shrieked.

Lloyd blushed bright red, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Here's your reward, Mr. Lartan Albane! Twenty-five thousand gald!"

"W-woah..." Lloyd stared, then grinned, "thanks!"

Great! Not only did he get his money back, but that should be more than enough to get him a room at the inn if he had to...

Grinning, he pocketed his winnings and left the stadium, whistling to himself as he entered the entry way to the lobby. That

was great! He had gone through ten rounds fighting monsters, by himself, without anyone healing him and he was only a

LITTLE tired! It was amazing! ..Wait! Wait! That was bad! That thing did this to him, so-...so what? He could kick ass! Of

course, he still wanted to get back to normal...but there was nothing wrong with enjoying a little power boost while he had

to, right...?

"THERE HE IS!!"

Lloyd turned, startled by the sudden shout.

"Yes! It's him! Lartan Albane!"

There was a group of about thirty women pointing at him.

"EEEEEEE! IT'S HIIIIIM!!"

"W-what the-?!"

Before Lloyd could even move he was surrounded by a clan of women varying from twenty to forty-five, all of which were

fussing over him like Zelos' floozies cooed over the pink-wearing womanizer.

"You were amazing!!"

"I'd never seen anything LIKE it!"

"That part where you jumped up and sliced that crush tortoise?! It was SO amazing! I was in awe!"

"Can I have your autograph?!"

"Can I have YOU!?"

"Woah woah woah!!" Lloyd tried to back away. "I-I'm sorry, but I-!!"

"Oh look! He's bashful!" a blond giggled.

"He kicks ass, he's hot AND he's sensitive!"

Lloyd flinched at the sound of the feared 'fangirl squeal'.

"WE LOVE YOU LARTAN!!"

"Help me!!" Lloyd cried.

For what felt like the millionth time since he woke up, Lloyd ran as fast as his legs would carry him. Once he had lost his

pursuers for the fifth time that day, he let out a sigh and sat down on a bench to try to think about his next course of action.

He needed to get back to the shadow temple, but he needed a rheaird for that... His stomach growled loudly and he sighed.

Oh yeah...he still hadn't eaten anything...okay then, lunch, then think about what to do next.

"Huh...I wonder where Noishe went anyway..." he looked around, "...he'll be fine."

The 'man' stood up and headed down the street, looking around for a restaurant of some sort. One was spotted after couple

of minutes of searching and he entered the facility to the sweet, succulent aroma of cooking food. He inhaled deeply and let

out a sigh, grinning.

"That smells great..." he said.

"Hello, sir!" a waitress smiled. "Just one?"

"Huh-? Uh...yeah," he nodded.

"All right, please follow me," she nodded, leading him off.

Lloyd hesitated a minute before following, looking around and catching sight of a clock on the wall... THREE O'CLOCK!?

ALREADY!? What had he been doing all day-!? ...Okay, there was the tailors...then running from Kratos and his friends...then

the contest...then running from those women...then uh...he had kind of gotten a LITTLE lost after running from the

women...just little. Great, just great, he had gone five hours and was still clueless as how to get himself out of this

predicament. He stewed over it as he waited for the waitress, sighing.

"Okay, honey, what can I get-? Are you all right?"

"Huh?" Lloyd looked up. "Y-yeah...I'm fine, sorry."

"Hm..." the woman looked him over, "...hey! Aren't you that guy everyone's talking about?"

"Huh?" Lloyd stared.

"They said there was this swordsman in red at the coliseum today, apparently he was really something," she smiled, "my

friend went there for her break earlier and told me all about him! Is your name Lartan Albane?"

Lloyd kind of spaced at the question, disbelieving the situation.

"Uhm...well?" she asked.

"Y-yeah..." he stammered.

"Oh really?" she smiled. "Wow, the rumors were right about you."

"Huh? Rumors? What rumors?" he blurted, beginning to become anxious.

"They said he was really shy and cute..." she smiled flirtatiously at him.

"Uh..." Lloyd shot bright red.

"Oh, silly me! Rambling! Sorry, what did you want?"

"U-uh...I...um..." Lloyd stammered, "uhm...well...I don't know..."

"That's all right, I can get you the special if you want," she smiled.

"Y-yeah...I'll just have that, sure," he nodded, still dazed.

"All right! When special coming up!" she grinned, winking at him before walking off.

Lloyd stared off after her, his jaw hanging open somewhat. What the HELL? You'd think he was Zelos or something the way

girls were acting to him now... Seriously, he wasn't THAT different, was he? Maybe he shouldn't have gone into that damn

tournament, then he wouldn't be having all this talk about him-

"Excuse me sir!"

Lloyd looked up.

"Hee hee..." a teenage girl blushed, having come over from a nearby table, "I saw your fight, can I have your autograph?"

"..." Lloyd's eye twitched.

"W-what? Is there something on my face?" she asked, frowning.

"N-no...I just...that's kind of..."

"Flattering? Embarrassing?" she suggested.

"Y-yeah...that," he muttered.

"Oh...well...um...okay, I'll just go now..." her face fell.

Lloyd flinched.

"N-no, it's okay..."

"So you'll give me an autograph!?" she brightened.

Lloyd sighed.

"Sure..."

"Yay!"

Lloyd sighed and signed the paper with his new name, burying his face in his hands as the girl squealed and went to show

her 'treasure' off to her friends at the other tablewhile the poor swordsman drew close to a severe breakdown.

"How does Zelos put up with this...?" he groaned.

After a few minutes the waitress came back over.

"Here you go! The special!" she chirped.

"Than-..." Lloyd paled.

"...What? What's wrong?"

"What...is...that...?" he twitched.

"Tomato soup, why?"

Lloyd used all the minor self-control he had not to throw up.

"...Um...you don't like tomatoes...?"

"...Let's just say if it was 'eat a tomato' or 'eat garbage' it'd be a lot cleaner around here..."

"...Oh, well...I'm sorry," she said, "I'll take it back, maybe you'd like some steak instead?"

"Please, and...sorry..." he said.

"That's fine," she smiled, "anything for a local celebrity! Hee hee!"

"...Someone kill me," Lloyd muttered, plopping his head onto the table.

So it was that after the poor brunette actually got something in his stomach and ditched the place before anyone else could

ask for his autograph, he found himself once again attempting to figure out his 'get to the Shadow Temple' problem.

Okay...he needed a rheaird, where could he get one? ...The Renegades were out, he had no way of getting to them anyway.

Maybe he could take back his without his friends seeing somehow? But how would he do that? He looked up at the sky,

seeing the sun was getting lower...it'd be dark again in a few hours. Geez...what a day...and he still had no idea what he

was going to do. ...He could...just go back to his friends, but...but... He just couldn't see them looking like this! How would he

explain!? The would think he was some looney or that he had done something to...himself. He groaned, mussing his hair with

his hands in frustration. The more he thought the more he fidgeted and wrought havoc on his hair-do, though not being

Zelos, he didn't quite care.

"Dammit..." he groaned.

A whine signaled that Noishe had found him, the protozoan whining once more in a concerned fashion as Lloyd sighed in

exasperation and some relief at seeing his furry friend.

"Noishe...what am I supposed to do?" he asked.

Noishe whined and licked Lloyd's face, attempting to reassure him.

"Hahahah!" Lloyd laughed. "Thanks, Noishe, but...going back can't be my only choice, can it...?"

He looked around one more time... Regardless of what he chose to do, leaving the city now wasn't smart. It'd be dark before

he reached anywhere else, and even he had enough sense not to wander through monster-infested fields in the middle of

the night by himself.

Lloyd sighed, "Might as well get to the inn..."

It was the next morning when Lloyd sat upright in his bed at the inn, groaning as he rubbed his head. He just could not

sleep at all that night... The swordsman yawned and then almost had a heart attack when he saw himself before the part of

his brain that served for memory finally woke up and reminded him of what had happened the previous day. With a sigh he

got to his feet and slugged toward the bathroom, still barely awake enough to notice the sunlight filtering through the blinds

of the window. Of course, he was too drowsy to realize he had a serious case of bed-head as he got dressed. Being who he

was, he of course ignored the mirror and though usually he would've made sure he didn't look like more of an idiot than

usual because of bed-hair, he was too tired to actually give a damn that morning. He was tired, his head hurt and he had

gone through a LOT in the past day, in short, he was not in the mood. The swordsman didn't give a damn if he looked like

crap that morning, he just wanted some breakfast and to get moving. Trudging down to the public cafeteria the inn had next

to the lobby, he spotted the fresh pot of coffee and made a beeline. He hadn't had coffee in a while, and damn did he need

some.

"Mmegh..." he grunted, pouring himself a glass.

He grabbed a danish and plopped into a chair, moving some hair that had been obstructing his eyes out of view before

taking a chunk of the danish and slurping down the coffee. After a few loud slurps he managed to wake up to some extent,

though he was still half-asleep. However, this didn't stop him from noticing several familiar voices that had apparently

entered the room.

"We don't have time for this! We need to look for Lloyd!"

"It'll do no good to do so on an empty stomach, you'll exhaust yourself,"

"But Professor-!"

Lloyd was suddenly wide awake. He cast a quick glance over his shoulder to see his friends before instantly redirecting his

gaze to his coffee, his heart pounding. Okay, he thought, just ignore them, don't look at them...

"Look! If it makes you feel better you can ask around while we eat, all right?"

"Right!"

"Okay!"

There were footsteps as he heard them walk into the room, followed by the sounds of moving chairs. Sweat broke out on

Lloyd's forehead, praying to whatever forces that be that they would not notice him...

Of course, that couldn't happen.

"Excuse me sir?" he felt someone tap his shoulder.

Lloyd grimaced, swearing in his head.

"Y...yes...?" he said.

Okay, just don't look at them, keep facing the same way...

"Um...sorry to bother you, but have you seen this guy?"

Of...course...

"..."

Lloyd took a deep breath and slowly turned to face the speaker. Now see, Lloyd had gotten incredibly lucky, though he did

not realize it. Because of his massive bed-head, his usual hair-style which would've given him away instantly was barely

visible. The irony of this however, was that his hair was now hanging down at parts in a way most similar to Kratos aside

from the lack of hair in the face and that instead of spiked auburn hair it was more wavy milk-chocolate brown. Whatever the

circumstance, his messed up mop made him a lot less easy to recognize. Genis was beside him, holding out one of the

wanted posters of 'Criminal Lloyd Irving' that he had most likely torn from a bulletin board. Lloyd half expected Genis to gasp

or burst out yelling when he locked eyes with him, but the young half-elf was looking at him as if he really was some

stranger he had just walked up to...

"...Well? Have you seen him?" Genis asked.

"...N...no," Lloyd shook his head, "sorry, I haven't."

"...Hey...have I...seen you before...?" Genis frowned.

"No," Lloyd said, attempting to keep calm, "I don't think we've met."

"...But...I really think I've seen you somewhere..." Genis bit his lip.

"I'm positive I've never met you," Lloyd lied again.

"...Wait..." Genis' eyes widened, "you're...!"

**Yes, yes I did just leave you with a cliffhanger, on chapter TWO! X3**

**Colette: Oh my...! That's not very nice**

**Me: I AM EVIL! FEAR ME! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHH! **

**Colette: Um...right... Anyway, thanks to everyone who reviewed and to Alia Skyhawk, who contributed some ideas to **

**this chapter... Thank you! n.n And she also said something about Kratos' reaction...um...'wait'? O.o**

**Me: MWAHAHAHAHAHAH!!**

**Colette:...Review...?**


	3. Confrontation

**Chapter three! Did all of you like that cliffhanger? Eee hee hee...**

**Colette: O.o;...Um...Freaky...**

**Me: Yes?**

**Colette: ...Nevermind... Freakyanimegal owns nothing.**

**Me: Thank you! On with the show! ...Story, whatever, you get the point.**

**Confrontation**

"You're...!" Genis gaped.

Lloyd froze, his heart beating a million miles an hour in his chest. Oh crap, he was so screwed, he was so so so so so

screwed...! What was he going to do?! Wait, no, don't panic, panic is bad, right? Don't- AH! WHAT WAS HE GOING TO DO!?

HE WAS SO FREAKING DEAD-!!

"I'm...?" he said slowly, desperately trying to sell the act.

"I...I'm sorry..." Genis tilted his head to the side, "you just...look a LOT like someone I..."

Lloyd did his best not to yelp.

"Genis, what's the matter?"

The young half-elf turned behind him to see his sister, who had noticed the strange situation and decided to investigate.

Lloyd almost had a stroke.

"Oh, sis! Doesn't this guy...look a lot like...?"

Raine looked at Lloyd and her eyes widened briefly before they narrowed with suspicion. Lloyd, of course, was about to die

from the anxiety build-up.

"...And who might you be, exactly?" she asked, arms crossed.

"M...My name's..." he stammered.

Okay! You can do this! Deep breathes! Deep breathes! Calm! Act like some badass 'I'm too cool for you' guy-...like Kratos.

Okay, maybe not Kratos, just...look her in the eye and say the name.

"...I'm Lartan Albane," he said coolly, "I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting you, ma'am."

Inside his head, Lloyd wondered where the hell that had come from.

"...Really?" she looked him over once more. "...My name is Raine Sage, this is my little brother, Genis."

"Nice to meet you," he nodded politely.

...Woah...he was pulling this off pretty good...

"Pardon me for saying so, but you bear a heavy resemblance to someone we know," she said.

Oh crap oh crap oh crap...

"I do?" Lloyd asked.

"Yes...maybe you're of relation, do you know someone named 'Kratos Aurion'?"

Lloyd's brain shorted. WHAT?! What the hell did she mean KRATOS?! Where the hell had that come from...?!

"Uh..." he stammered, shocked, "um...n-no, don't think I do."

"Really?" Raine raised an eyebrow. "Hm...I see you use an exsphere."

D'oh!

"Um...yes, what about it?" he asked. "I see you do too."

"Just curious, are you a soldier of some kind?"

"Uhm...I'm a...traveler," he said, not a complete lie, "I like going around the world, seeing new sights, exploring strange

places... I'm just an adventurous type, I guess...heh heh..."

"...Right," Raine said again, obviously not buying the act.

"Lartan Albane..." Genis frowned, "Hey! I heard people talking about you! You're supposed to be a really awesome fighter!"

"R-really...?" Lloyd laughed nervously. "Well...thank you, I guess..."

Raine's glare, if it was at all possible, intensified.

"Well...sorry to bother you," Raine said simply, "...you know..."

"Eh?" Lloyd looked at her.

"...Nevermind," she said, walking away.

"...Whew..." Lloyd let out a sigh of relief.

Okay...he'd dodged that bullet...but...the really didn't recognize him? And...why the HELL did they think he was related to

KRATOS of all people...? Lloyd froze and slowly picked up a spoon he had been using to stir the coffee, the color draining

from his face when he noted his hair. He looked like Kratos. He FREAKING looked like KRATOS-!! Well...he didn't have the hair

in the eyes...and it was a LITTLE different bu-! But-! Holy CRAP! How could he possibly look so much like Kratos, that

damned, Seraphim traitor?!

"We should get back to the pacts,"

Lloyd picked up the sentence and temporarily forgot his mental plight, listening in on his friend's conversation.

"W-what?! But Raine-!" Genis stammered.

"Look, we're all worried about Lloyd, but we don't have any more leads on him,"

"But Professor-!" Colette cried.

"I didn't say we'd stop looking, we'll look while we make the pacts," the half-elf said, "it's not doing any of us good looking

around for him here, besides...if Cruxis or the Renegades did get him, I'm sure they'll come to us..."

"Raine! How can you say that?" Sheena scoffed. "That's cold!"

"We have no choice, really," Raine stated, "..besides...we all know Lloyd, he'd rather we get back to severing the mana links

than look for him... I'm worried about him as well, but we know he's alive, at least, based on what Kratos said... For now, we

should focus on what's more important for the sake of the worlds."

"...I hate to admit it, but the glamorous beauty has a point," Zelos said, "...we really should get back to the pacts, we're not

getting anywhere looking for my bud."

"B-but-!!" Colette stammered.

"I'm sorry, Colette," Raine said, frowning, "but..."

"...I...I can look for him!" Colette said. "You guys can make the pacts and-"

"Me too!" Genis said.

"Out of the question," Raine snapped, "leaving you two alone is just asking for you to get killed, Cruxis is already after

Colette, we can' t risk anything of the sort!"

"B-but..." the blond stammered.

"..." Genis whimpered.

Lloyd flinched, feeling as if he had just been stabbed in the heart. He was making them all go through so much... They were

so worried about him, even the Professor was, he could tell, and he was right here...

"...We should head back to the Darkness Temple," Raine said, "...we'll look for him more after that."

Something in Lloyd's head went 'DING!'...Yes, even he has his moments.

"E-excuse me..."

The group turned to him as he walked up, trying to avoid looking at any of their faces.

"Dude...who the hell is he...?" Zelos whispered.

"I don't know..." Sheena whispered, examining the 'strangers' looks, "...but...dang..."

Zelos jolted.

"W-what?! Sheena-!!"

"I'm sorry," Lloyd said, "I overheard a bit of what you were saying...something about going to the Darkness Temple? I hate

to ask this, but do you think you could take me along?"

He was answered by several stares of either suspicion or curiosity.

"What?" Raine hissed. "And why would you want to go there?"

"I..have something I need to do there," Lloyd said, "thing is, I can't get there by myself but you guys sound like you have a

way...so I fugred I'd ask, at least..."

"Oh? And why should we take you?" Raine crossed her arms, glaring.

"...Um...well..." Lloyd fidgeted, "...I guess you don't really have a reason to...but...look, I really REALLY need to get to that

Temple, it's important... I...my life might be totally ruined if I don't."

It was true, after all, if he didn't kill that thing...he'd never be himself again...

"Uh-hm...and how pray-tell would your life be ruined?"

Lloyd frowned and then glared at her, "That's personal."

"...Professor...we should let him come," Colette said.

"What-?" Raine gasped.

"W-well...he sounds like he really needs help," she smiled, "we have an extra rheaird right now...I'm sure Lloyd would want

to help him, if he were here, so..."

"..." Lloyd looked at her.

"...He doesn't SEEM like a bad guy..." Genis said slowly, "...besides, we're just going to give him a lift, right?"

"He looks like he can fight," Sheena pointed out, her eyes still tracing the sculpted torso, "maybe he could help us a little..."

"W-what-!? We don't know WHO this guy is or anything! Why should we bring him!?" Zelos pointed.

"...Personally, Chosen, it sounds to me as if you simply don't want him around for the sake of your pride," Regal said calmly.

"WHAT?!" Zelos roared.

"Huh?" Lloyd blinked.

"...He bears a heavy resemblance to Kratos Aurion..." Presea said.

Everyone froze.

"However..." she seemed to scan Lloyd with her eyes, "...he...seems...nice."

"Please, Professor?" Colette asked. "I'm sure that's what Lloyd would want."

Raine closed her eyes, grimacing a bit before she sighed.

"...Please leave us alone a minute Mr. Albane, we'll discuss it," she said.

"...Right," he nodded, "thank you..."

Lloyd slowly turned form them and headed back to the opposite side of the room where he had been eating, sitting down

into the chair once more as he gazed off into space. He couldn't believe this was happening... All of this was just...wrong!

It...and... Presea said he looked like Kratos too...Why? Why did he look like...? He groaned and held his head, wishing that

he could just wake up and find himself sleeping in camp with his friends after some weird dream... After a few minutes of him

shifting between wondering about his appearance and glancing over nervously at his friends, he finally saw Raine motion for

him to come over.

"..." Lloyd swallowed nervously and walked over, "...Yeah?"

Raine glared at him a moment, then back at the group before sighing.

"...We'll drop you off, that's it, we have business of our own there," she hissed.

After all, if he was an enemy it'd be best to keep him under watch...that and they were the only people here, he would've

attempted to attack or capture them if he was with Cruxis or the like...but...

"...Thank you so much!" Lloyd grinned. "Really, you don't know how much this means to me!"

"Don't thank me, it was Colette...Mr. Albane," she said, turning away, "but don't try anything funny, understood?"

"...Yes," he nodded, not bothering to question why...he kinda knew.

"...Mr. Albane?" Colette blinked.

"Huh-? O-oh yeah, I'm Lartan Albane, sorry about that," he smiled nervously.

Sheena felt a blush creep into her cheeks and Colette twitched a bit at the sight of his smile.

"I-I'm Colette," she said, stammering a bit.

Lloyd smiled wider, "...That's a beautiful name."

Colette began to flush as well.

"I'm Sheena!" the ninja all but blurted.

"Nice to meet you," he said simply.

The summoner felt like she had been slapped.

"I already introduced myself," Genis smiled weakly, "that's Presea, that's Regal, and that's Zelos. Usually we have someone

else but...he's...kind of gone missing...he's the guy I asked you about, remember?"

"...Oh," Lloyd said simply, trying to keep a straight face.

"W-would you like to eat breakfast with us?" Sheena stammered. "We just sat down so-"

"What?! We just met the guy! Let him go sit by himself!" Zelos snapped.

Sheena smacked him.

"I-I think it'd be nice for him to eat with us," Colette flushed, "h-he's...you know, it's nice to do that."

"Uh..." Lloyd trailed, "Well..."

He really did want to sit with them, but at the same time he wanted to stay far, far away. He just...couldn't be comfortable

around him while they were worried about him, pretending to be someone else...

"...Well...?" Colette repeated, hopeful.

He glanced away and Colette noted he was extremely cute when he did so...like when he smiled...and laughed... The

swordsman was too old for her, she knew, but she still couldn't stop herself from noting that almost everything about the

newcomer was attractive...

"..." she paled.

Oh no! How could she think such a thing?! Lloyd was off somewhere, and here she was thinking some older, new guy was

handsome?! How could she betray him like that?! She liked Lloyd! As in...LIKED! Oh, what kind of person was she to do

something like this?!

"Hey...are you all right?" Lloyd asked her.

"F-fine!"

Inside her head she screamed, _He's looking at me-!!_

Sheena's, of course, was more along the lines of: _Why won't he look at me?!_

Zelos was summed up like so: _Bastard! Why is Sheena looking at YOU?!_

Lloyd, of course, was oblivious to the whole thing.

"Are you sure you're okay, Colette?" Lloyd frowned, walking over to her. "If you're not feeling well you should say

something, you know..."

Colette flushed bright red.

"...What? What'd I say?" Lloyd frowned.

"N-nothing...that's just really nice of you! Heh heh!" she giggled.

Lloyd's eyes narrowed.

"So...are you going to sit with us, or what?" Sheena asked, still trying to get his attention.

"...I..." Lloyd hesitated a minute, looking at his friends before looking back where he sat... "...I think I'll go back over there.

Thank you for offering, really, but uh...I just want to sit over there."

"Oh. ...All right..." Sheena said, her face falling.

"A-are you sure?" Colette stammered.

She mentally smacked herself, berating her mind for trying to get him to stay when she should be worrying about Lloyd.

"I'm fine," he forced a smile, "thanks."

He walked back over to his seat and sat down, gazing down into the now cooling coffee. ...This wasn't right, it just wasn't...

A few hours later Lloyd found himself once again walking into the Darkness Temple with his friends, though this was so much

more uncomfortable than the first time he had done so. When they did this the other day, he was laughing around with

Genis and talking with the others... Now he found himself far at the back of the group, trying to avoid them. They would look

back at him every now and then, but they wouldn't say anything... Lloyd's face fell. Oh well, just think, a little longer and

you'll beat that thing and get back to normal! He just had to find it again...

"Lartan,"

Lloyd heard the word but paid no attention to it, forgetting what it was.

"Lartan!"

Oh yeah...that was his name.

"Y-yes?" he looked up. "Sorry about that...I...spaced..."

"...Here, it's a blue candle," she said, handing it to him.

"Huh?" Lloyd blinked.

"You need it to see in the Temple," she said, "we have one of our own, Sheena picked this one up before we left."

"...O-oh, right, thanks," he nodded.

"We'll be going our separate ways now," she said, "good luck."

"Professor! It's dangerous to let him go by himself!" Colette said.

"Y-yeah, besides, how would he get back to Meltokio?" Sheena asked.

"That wasn't part of the agreement," Raine said icily, "we said we'd take him up here, that was it."

"Yeah, so let's go already," Zelos said.

"But Professor...!"

"Sis...they've kind of got a point," Genis said, "how will he get back?"

Raine glared at them all a minute before sighing once more.

"...If you're at the entrance by the time we leave, we'll take you back to Meltokio," Raine said to Lloyd, "but if you're late, we

won't wait for you, do you understand?"

Lloyd felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Why was Raine being so cold to him...?

"...I understand," he said, nodding.

"Good," with that she turned on heel and walked off, "come on, let's get moving."

"B-bye Mr. Lartan!" Colette waved. "Be careful!"

"Don't get hurt!" Sheena called.

"...Y-yeah... Same for you guys! Be careful!"

They nodded and soon were swallowed up by the darkness. Lloyd looked around, holding the candle tightly. Okay...he had

to find that thing... Where did he see it again...? Okay, they were on the stairs that lead to the area they were herding

Shadow in, then he fell... Wait! Weren't there stairs down there anyway? Great! It had to be further down. So he headed

off, down deeper in deeper into the abyssal reaches of the structure. There were a lot of stairs down here, for sure...then he

reached a fork. One path branched off but the stairs kept going down.

_**This way.**_

"What the-?! ...What...the...?"

Lloyd turned to find a trail of some dark, glowing red substance on the floor, leading off down the path into the darkness. His

eyes narrowed and he pulled out his swords, following the path further in. It wasn't long before he found himself on a large

platform of some sort, the blue candle barely illuminating enough so he could see three feet around him.

Bright red eyes blazed open.

"You...!" Lloyd growled, holding up his swords.

_**So you've come back,**_ it said.

"Change me back!" Lloyd snapped.

_**Why would I do that? You're a much more serious challenge in that form.**_

"I don't care! Change me back right now!" Lloyd demanded.

_**I don't care for conversation... **_

"You-! WOAH-!!"

He almost staggered backwards when suddenly area around him lit up, the substance that had lead him here melded

together into a glob that hovered above the platform like a dark sun, casting a red light upon the scene.

"What the hell-!? ...Oh...crap..."

The eyes belonged to a large, dark red creature that looked something like a cross between a cat and a snake. The head

was cat-like and it had two pairs of legs, but the body between them was long and flexible looking, the tail ending in a rattle

of some kind. It opened it's jaw wide like a serpent, venom-dripping fangs the size of his swords visible in the dusk.

"...Oh crap," Lloyd said again.

_**Let's begin,**_

"Woah-!"

Lloyd barely dodged in time to avoid it's scythe-like claws which were followed after almost immediately by fangs. The

swordsman managed to dodge, his heart pounding violently as he quickly executed 'rising falcon' and managed to get a

large cut on one of its ears. It hissed loudly before striking with it's tail, which Lloyd found himself countering by using psi

tempest and cleanly severing the attachment from the monster's body. It let out a screech almost like an angry 'mrow!'

before attempting snap the red-clad warrior up in its jaws. Lloyd went do dodge but didn't notice the beast had slinked

some of its long body behind him...and pushed him forward, one of the fangs sinking into his leg.

"GAH-!!" Lloyd shouted.

He managed to back away, his vision growing blurry from the venom. Quick! Panacea bottle! The swordsman managed to

gulp down a bit, the poison cleansed from his system though the wound was still bleeding.

"Oh Sylph..." he groaned, barely standing on his feet.

"Healing wind!"

Lloyd gasped as a warm green light surrounded his leg, the bleeding coming to a halt.

"W-what the-?!"

"JUDGMENT!"

Lloyd shielded his eyes as a million rays of light shot down on the field, the creature shrieking and weaving in and out of the

pillars in some bizarre, serpentine motion to avoid the spell.

"How the hell...?!" Lloyd stared.

Where did that come from...?! Who could've...?!

"Woah-!"

He didn't have time to question it any further, however, as he dodged several more swipes from the creature's talons. He

had to kill this thing! No time to worry about those spells! The beast's jaws came for him...

"SUPER SONIC THRUST!!"

Then it stopped, Lloyd's sword jutting up through it's throat out the back of its head. There was a sick schluping sound as he

pulled out the blade and it collapsed, blood streaming from it. Lloyd panted heavily and sheathed his swords, glaring at the

creature at his feet.

"Change me back," he said again.

_**Heh...heheheheh...**_

"What the hell are you laughing about?!"

The beast drew in a ragged breath, one eye locked on his two.

_**Who said I'd change you back?**_

Lloyd went wide-eyed.

"W-what-!?"

_**I never said I'd change you back, human.**_

"...B-but..." Lloyd stammered, "...grr...CHANGE ME BACK RIGHT NOW!!"

_**Who said I could?**_

Lloyd lost all the color in his face.

"...You...you mean I...I'm...?"

Lloyd staggered backwards from the dying beast, shaking as he looked at his hands. He was stuck like this...? But...how

would...? How could...? What would he do?! He...he'd never be able to go back to his friends, to go back home, not like

this...not as...Lloyd... Even if he did manage to convince them he was him, things would never...they would never be right

again...What...what was he going to do?! What COULD he do?! WHAT WOULD HE DO!?

"No...you're lying! You're lying you big over-sized furball-!!

"He's not,"

Lloyd jolted and turned to the side, where Kratos Aurion stood with glazed eyes.

"You-!! ...What...what do you mean he's not lying...?"

"..." Kratos glared at the being on the floor.

_**Heh heh...fare...well...**_

"Woah-!"

There was a burst of black flame as the corpse disappeared, not even leaving ashes.

"H-hey-!!"

"You're wasting your time," Kratos stated simply.

"You...! You get out of my sight! I'm not in the mood to deal with you!!"

"I can help you,"

"Help-? Help with what?" Lloyd glared.

Kratos seemed to consider saying something a moment before he closed his mouth, thought another moment, then began

to speak again.

"I can help your friends trust you," he said.

"Trust me!? They're never going to believe I'm Lloyd-!"

"I can help them trust 'you'," he stated.

Lloyd fell silent.

"...If you don't wish to disclose your identity, yet you still wish to be with them, this is the only way," he stated coolly,

"you're familiar with 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend', correct?"

"...Yeah...?" Lloyd said slowly.

"...GRAVE!"

"W-what the-?!"

Lloyd barely managed to jump back in time to avoid the spell.

"You-!!" Lloyd snarled.

Kratos dashed at Lloyd, sword at the ready as the red-clad warrior drew his own weapons and parried only before the

Seraph was attacking him again with a vigor. Surprisingly, Lloyd found he was actually managing to hold his own, like in

Meltokio he had managed to...

"Here they come," Kratos stated when they crossed swords a final time.

"W-what-?"

"LARTAN?! KRATOS?!"

Kratos leapt back from Lloyd, both of them looking down the path were Lloyd's friends were staring at the scene, shocked.

"W-what's going on...?" Colette whispered.

"Tch," Kratos glared, "I finally find the traitor and you interfere..."

"W-what-?" Lloyd started.

Kratos locked eyes with him, 'go along with it' somehow clear in his stony expression.

"Traitor...?" Genis said.

"You mean to say Lartan is in Cruxis?" Raine hissed.

"Was," Kratos stated, "I was sent to...dispose of him, once he began acting out of Lord Yggdrasill's wishes."

"My my, you seem to have a lot of internal discord..." Raine's eyes narrowed.

"Hmph,"

"Would this also by chance explain his resemblance to you?"

Both Lloyd and Kratos froze.

"You do look quite alike..." she hissed.

"...We're brothers," Kratos said bluntly.

"BROTHERS?!"

Lucky for Lloyd, his shout drowned out with the rest of the groups.

"That explains everything! I KNEW he looked familiar!" Genis exclaimed.

"You're trying to kill your own brother?!" Sheena scoffed. "How low can you go!?"

"Tch," Kratos snorted, then turned to Lloyd, "now if you'll excuse me..."

"ANGEL FEATHERS!"

Kratos dodged an attack he could've easily reflected, Colette having cast her spell.

"Colette..." Lloyd whispered.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend," Regal stated, running forward beside Lloyd.

"R-regal..." Lloyd stammered.

"Yeah!" Sheena joined him.

"How do we know we can trust him?!" Zelos shouted.

"We don't, however..." Raine raised her staff, "he could be a great asset."

Kratos snorted, "For information? Hardly, he doesn't remember any of that now."

"Any of what?"

"Anything that might aid you," Kratos continued, "standard procedure, traitor's memories of crucial information are removed

once found before extermination, in case of a scenario like this."

"Even so..."

"We're not just gonna let you kill him!" Genis shouted.

"Hmph...fine then,"

Kratos sheathed his sword and turned from them.

"H-hey! Where do you think you're-?!"

"The situation has become too risky, I'll have to return at another date."

With that he simply walked off, Lloyd staring after him. BROTHER!? Why the hell would he think up something like-!?

Wait...wait! Kratos just...just helped him. His friends were on his side...and the 'brother' lie...he used that to make them hate

him more and...what was he doing...?

"Are you hurt?" Sheena asked.

"...N-no..." Lloyd trailed.

"You've got a puncture mark on your leg..." Raine said.

"I...had a bit of difficulty with a monster earlier..."

"...It looks like you'll be fine," she stated.

"Are you really Kratos' brother?" Genis asked.

"...I..." Lloyd stammered.

"Genis, I don't believe we have to ask that, the look on his face tells us enough."

"You mean his FACE tells us enough," Zelos said.

"...You're fighting Cruxis," Lloyd said.

He knew this, of course, but...he was supposed to act like he didn't.

"...Yes," Raine admitted.

"...Can I come with you?"

"Eh? You expect us to trust you?" Zelos hissed.

"I hate Cruxis," Lloyd said, for the first time not having to act, "Yggdrasill's an ass, I hate the idea of an age of lifeless beings

and...it's not right to make everyone suffer by keeping the worlds like this!"

The group went wide-eyed somewhat.

"...W-what...?" Lloyd stammered.

"...You sound like a friend of ours..." Raine muttered.

"...Lloyd..." Colette whispered, biting her lip.

"...I..."

"He went missing a few days ago," Genis explained, "...I think you two would get along pretty well, he thinks just like that..."

Lloyd noticed the depressed faces of his friends and felt a jolt to his heart, ...they were never going to see 'Lloyd' again...he

was never going to be 'Lloyd' again... What could he do though...?

"...I'm...I'm sure he's safe," Lloyd said, "he'll probably turn up, I'm sure of it."

"I hope so..." Genis whispered.

"...So," Raine stated, "who's in favor of adding Lartan to our group?"

"NO!" Zelos snapped. "We barely know this guy and he's Kratos' BRO! How the h-?!"

"Kratos' brother whom he almost killed," Regal pointed out.

"That's awful!" Colette cried. "Just think about what he's going through right now, to have your own brother trying to do

such a thing...I'd be so sad..."

"I agree," Sheena said, "that and he obviously isn't a bad fighter seeing how he stood up to Kratos..."

"The addition of Lartan Albane to the group would result in a 200 percent increase in conflict victory," Presea reported.

"That's another thing! If they're brothers, why is his name 'Albane'!?" Zelos scoffed.

"...I made it up," Lloyd said, not a lie, after all...

"I can see why he would change his name..." Regal said slowly.

"So, everyone is for it with the exception of Zelos?" Raine asked.

"Yep, pretty much," Genis said.

"Hey-!!"

"Since Lloyd isn't here to say it, welcome to the group," Genis forced a smile.

"...Thanks," Lloyd smiled weakly.

"Oh come on! This is bull!" Zelos fumed.

"Oh shut up, Zelos!" Sheena snapped.

...Then she went back to gazing longingly at 'Lartan', ticking off the red-head further.

"We're going to keep a close eye on you, however, understand?" Raine glared.

"Y-yeah...don't worry, I won't betray you,"

"...Fine then...I supose I should tell you about our plan..." Raine began to explain.

Lloyd however, was lost in his thoughts.

_His brother...? _

**Yes, yes I know, there's blazing 'plot/drama' in this, but there's not going to be much more. This bit was simply **

**necessary. This is still going to be a short story (by my standards at least) because I've already got way too damn **

**many 'plotty' stories...**

**Colette: So...um...**

**Me: Of course, Lloyd isn't going to be able to keep his secret for long...X3**

**Colette: So what about the pacts?**

**Me: Oh shushy...you'll see...review please? n.n'**

**Colette:...WAIT! Is Lloyd stuck like this?! **

**Me:... :3 ...Eee hee hee...**

**Colette: Oh no...**


	4. Coping

**It's raining! It's raining! n.n**

**Colette: Huh?**

**Me: I love it when it raaaaaaaiiinnnss! (Music note)**

**Colette: Um... Freakyanimegal owns nothing..**

**Me: It makes me want to sing and dance :D! HAPPINESS!**

**Colette: Uh-**

**Me: Now it's thundering! n.n Oh God I am so happy! Thank you Lord!!**

**Colette:...Please read...? **

**Coping**

Thunder pealed up above, rolling echoes off the hills and the buildings, the harsh, chopping sound of rain hammering down

on whatever surface it would hit...which was every surface.

"I can't believe this!" Genis cried. "We barely get past Sybak and then-!"

"It can't be helped," Raine sighed, "it wouldn't be wise to fly during a storm, we'd get hurt in all likelihood..."

Lloyd looked out the window, water pelting from the sky outside. Having had to seek shelter from the storm, they found

themselves at the inn in Sybak. Genis was upset, to put it shortly. He wanted to look around the city some for Lloyd, but with

the weather as it was they couldn't chance it... Lloyd sighed and propped his elbows up on the table, holding his head as he

gazed off into the rain. The clear window showed the hammering water, but also his hazy reflection...or rather, 'Lartans'

hazy reflection... He gazed off into his own brown eyes and sighed when he dared look anywhere else... He was stuck like

this...they thought he was Kratos' brother, and...he did look like him. Why did Kratos help him anyway?! Wasn't he an

enemy!? Wasn't-!? Then again, several days ago he didn't look a damn thing like Kratos...but..then...

"...Man..."

The swordsman sighed, once again spacing off at his face... This was him now, wasn't it? He wasn't 'Lloyd' anymore...he

couldn't BE 'Lloyd' anymore...but...oh come on! Yes he was! He was still him-! ...It's just he...

"Hey..."

Lloyd blinked and looked to the side, where Sheena was looking at him.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"...Sorry, but I've been meaning to ask...how old are you, anyway?"

"Me? I'm..."

Okay, um...Kratos said he was twenty-eight, right? So um...

"Twenty-si-" he started.

Wait...seventeen plus ten...woops, that was twenty-seven...

"Seven, I mean twenty-seven," he said.

"Oh..." Sheena trailed.

Eight years...crap...

"I'm younger!" Zelos pointed.

"Huh? Well...so?" Lloyd blinked.

"AND I'm better looking!" the chosen snapped. "Really, Sheena-!"

"Oh you're so obnoxious!" Sheena huffed, storming off.

"W-wait! Sheena come back-!"

Zelos chased after her, leaving Lloyd alone and very confused.

"...What was that about?" he wondered.

"Hey, Lartan,"

Lloyd this time directed his attention to the other side, where Genis looked at him.

"...Yeah? What is it?"

"...I'm sorry, I just noticed...you fight with two swords,"

Oh crap.

"...Ah...y-yeah, what about it?"

"..." Genis' face fell, "Lloyd fought with two swords..."

"...O-oh...I'm sorry..."

"...You know, you don't act much like Kratos for being brothers and all," the half-elf said, "I mean, I guess you kind of do with

the staying away from us and being quiet thing, but otherwise..."

"Don't compare me to him," Lloyd hissed.

Genis backed up.

"Okay okay! I'm sorry, I just-"

Lloyd sighed, "Nevermind...I'm sorry I snapped at you..."

"...You're a lot nicer, too," he smiled.

"...Thanks," Lloyd smiled weakly.

"...Hey...um...look, I need your help,"

"Huh? Mine? With what?" he blinked.

"...You know Colette? Over there?" Genis gestured to the far corner.

"..."

Colette was sitting by herself, her eyes glazed as she spaced out looking at the floor.

"...She's really worried about Lloyd," Genis said, "all of us are...but she's really... Look, I want to do something to cheer her

up somehow but I can't... I just can't think of anything..."

"...Colette..." Lloyd whispered.

"Huh?" Genis looked at him. "Did you say something?"

"H-huh? Um, no, look...uh..." he frowned, "...I can't really think of anything either..."

"Oh..." Genis trailed.

They sat there in silence for a minute, then Lloyd made the mistake of looking at his reflection again. He grimaced and got to

his feet, leaving for the door. Genis of course, was surprised.

"H-hey, where are you-?"

"I'm sorry, I need some space," he sighed, walking out.

"..." Raine's eyes narrowed.

The swordsman walked out of the room into the halls, finding his feet moving him to the lobby... He growled to himself a bit

and then left the building all together, the rain hammering down of his head...but he really couldn't care less at the moment.

Lloyd stalked off into the city, paying no heed to the slippery tiles or the fact he was completely drenched in a moment's time.

There was a flash of lightning, which he stubbornly ignored, his eyes on his feet and he stomped off. He was just so...so

FRUSTRATED! He was so angry and sad and...depressed, lost, confused...trapped. There was nothing he could do to get out

of this, was there? What could...how would his friends deal when they came to the conclusion 'Lloyd' was in fact not coming

back at all...?

"Grr..."

What could he do now? He could help them stop Cruxis, like he had wanted to and was doing, but afterward... He looked up

into the sky, rain pouring down on his face as single tear slipped loose, perfectly hidden in the rain. The man shook his head

and groaned, cursing himself for being so weak. With that he pressed on ahead into the dark city, walking made him feel

better, it made him focus on something else, it made him feel like he was doing something while standing still he was all too

aware of the powerlessness he had to the situation... Before long he found himself sitting on a stone bench, his arms resting

on his legs as his head slumped forward. He was starting to get cold, and he was already soaked, but... Lloyd's deadened

expression remained as such until he noticed something...the rain had stopped beating down on him. He blinked, it was still

raining but...he looked up to see a dark shape, an umbrella... Then he looked to see the holder who stood under it with him.

"For being Kratos' brother, you sure lack a lot of his sense," Raine stated.

"...Sorry," he sighed.

"...What's wrong?" she asked.

"...I've been going through a lot lately, is all," he said.

"As have I, but I didn't sulk off in weather like this."

Lloyd sighed and looked away.

"...By the way..." she paused a moment, "Lloyd.""

Yeah-? ..."

Lloyd went wide-eyed, the color draining from his face as he realized what he had just done. Raine's eyes, which had been

narrowed, widened before focusing in on him again. Lloyd stammered, desperately trying to think up an excuse of some sort

that could get him out of this.

"I knew it!" she hissed.

"P-professor, wait! I-!"

SMACK!

"You little...!" she growled. "Lloyd Irving! How could you do this to me!?"

"Do-?! You're the one smacking me-!!"

"Do you know how worried I was?! Do you know how- Why didn't you tell us?!"

"P-professor, I-!"

"Why didn't you-!?"

Raine cut off abruptly at the look Lloyd gave her. A look of fear and helplessness, despair even... Slowly she lowered her

hand, closing her mouth at the hopeless dim pools that were Lloyd's eyes.

"...Lloyd..." she whispered.

"...I'm stuck like this, Professor," he whispered.

"...What do you mean you're-?"

"When I got separated from you guys at the Darkness Temple, I ran into this thing..." he whispered, "It said it wanted to

fight me...but I was just a kid, so it wanted to fight someone 'stronger'... I woke up and I was..."

He held his hands out in front of him, shaking a bit.

"I didn't want you all to see me...I wanted to beat it and get back to normal before you guys had to know..."

"...So did you find it? The creature?"

Lloyd nodded, his eyes closed.

"...Did you kill it?"

He nodded again, looking away.

"..." Raine bit her lip.

"It said it couldn't change me back...then it died...and then Kratos showed up..."

"Kratos?"

"He...I don't know why, but he said he could help me...then he just started attacking me and you guys showed up..."

"...Why did he lie for you?" Raine asked.

Lloyd shook his head, "I don't know...but...I went along with it because I..."

"...It's all right, I understand," she nodded slowly, biting her lip.

"...I'm scared,"

Raine jolted, looking at her pupil with her mouth slightly agape.

"...I don't know what I'm going to do, Professor..." he whispered, "...look at me... Just look at me! I...I... How am I going to

live like this? I can't! I'm not ready for this, Professor! Even..."

He slowed, bringing his hand up to his throat.

"Even my voice is..." he choked, "...it's not me... I mean, I...guess it would have been in ten years, but...not NOW!"

Lloyd slammed his fist onto his knee, doubling over again as he gritted his teeth in an attempt not to shed tears. Slowly

Raine sat beside her student, putting a hand on his shoulder as she held the umbrella with the other. Lloyd was shaking as

she watched him sadly through blue eyes...

"...I'm sure there's a way to fix this," she stated, "we'll just have to look. We-"

"Please don't tell the others,"

"What? But they-"

"I- I just don't want them to know, not now, not yet..." Lloyd shook his head, "I can't...I can't deal with that yet..."

"...I see," Raine stated, "...take your time then..."

"...Okay..." Lloyd whispered, his gaze back on the ground.

"...Though...Lloyd..."

He looked at her.

"...You do look extremely like Kratos..." she trailed.

"...B-but- I-" he stammered, "I- I don't know WHY I just-!"

"Nevermind, it's not important," Raine sighed, closing her eyes.

"..." Lloyd frowned.

Of course, Raine thought differently. They did look far far far too much alike...even before Lloyd was like this... That and

Kratos had lied for him...and he was always kind to Lloyd, well, his version of 'kind'... Kratos had always been suspicious, but

about Lloyd...could it really be...

"Professor?"

"Hm? I'm sorry, Lloyd, what is it?' she asked.

"...We should probably go back," he said, "...it's still raining pretty hard..."

Raine sighed and got to her feet, holding the umbrella.

"All right then, let's go,"

"...You promised you wouldn't tell," Lloyd said again.

The woman sighed.

"...I promise, Lloyd, not until you're ready,"

"...Thanks," he nodded.

"...Let's head back for the inn," she said.

"Yeah..."

Lloyd got to his feet and Raine began to lead off-

"Wait, I'll hold the umbrella," Lloyd said.

"What? I-"

"Professor...um...you kinda don't hold it high enough..."

Raine stopped, realizing her pupil was almost a good ten inches taller than her now...

"...Oh, of course..." she blushed, "here."

"Heh heh...sorry about that..." he smiled sheepishly.

Lloyd took the umbrella and they continued on, luckily of course, it had stopped thundering a while ago. Raine wasn't stupid

enough to use an umbrella at a time like that... However, at the inn her little brother looked out the window, frowning. They

had been gone too long...what if something happened? The boy frowned and headed downstairs for the entrance...just in

time to see Lloyd and Raine enter. Of course, as fate would have it, it looked to him as Lartan opening the door for his sister

who smiled and thanked him as he entered himself and closed the umbrella... This of course, triggered something.

"H-hey! What were you doing with my sister?!" Genis demanded.

Raine and Lloyd stared at him.

"W-what...? What're you talking about-?" Lloyd started.

"...Genis!" Raine gasped, realizing what he meant. "Don't be ridiculous, we-"

"What do you mean-?..." Lloyd went wide eyed.

He looked at Raine slowly, both of them going bright red with shock, embarrassment, and a hint of disgust...

"Woah woah woah-! That's not-! She's-! I-!" Lloyd stammered.

"Yeah right! You were putting the moves on my sister, weren't you?!"

Lloyd did his best not to vomit as Raine smacked her sibling.

"Don't be absurd, Genis! Get back up to the room!"

"B-but sis-!"

"NOW!"

Genis muttered to himself and trudged back up, glaring at Lloyd before doing so.

"...Ew...ew...ew..." Lloyd said once he was gone.

"...You will never speak of this to anyone," Raine stated.

"Don't worry, I won't..." he shuddered.

Of course, once they both entered the room...

"Oh-HO!" Zelos said. "Looks like new guy's making moves on my bewitching female teacher! You sly dog, you! Stealing my

silver-haired siren away from me like that-! OW-!!"

Raine had smacked the philanderer promptly.

"Nothing of the sort happened!"

Lloyd did his best to blend in with the wallpaper in the corner.

"...Um...Mr. Lartan?"

"Huh?"

Colette looked at him, holding out a towel.

"Y-you're all wet, so I thought you might want to dry off..."

"O-oh..." he laughed, "yeah, I dredged in water, didn't I? Thanks."

Colette smiled and blushed brightly, making Lloyd smile as well.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked.

"Hm?" she blinked.

"...You didn't look so happy earlier, that's all..."

"O-oh..." her face fell, "that's...don't worry about it-"

Lloyd put his hand on her shoulder, looking her in the eyes.

"...W...what are you...?" Colette stammered, flushing.

"Don't worry..." he said, hoping somehow she would understand.

"..." the blond blinked.

Lloyd broke his gaze, turning his attention to drying off his face as Colette stared at him. What was...he talking about?

"...It's getting late, we should all go to sleep if we plan to leave early tomorrow,"

"But sis! You said we could look for Lloyd!" Genis cried.

Lloyd flinched.

"...We'll look around quickly," she said, "but then we're heading for Sylvarant."

"Can we at least ask Altessa and Mithos about it before we go?"

"...Fine," Raine said, trying to calm her brother, "quickly."

* * *

That night, Lloyd could barely sleep, he was having dreams again...

_Trapped._

Lloyd in a room, a room lined with mirrors.

_Trapped like this**.**_

He jolted and attempted to find a way out, 'his' face looking at him wherever he looked.

_You've lost your life._

The mirrors melded into pictures of his seventeen-year-old self hanging out with his friends, laughing, smiling, getting

scolded by the Professor, feeding Noishe, talking to Dirk...

_Those ten years...you'll never get them back._

Lloyd lost the color in his face.

_Never._

Lloyd jerked upright, feeling as if he was choking. He put his head in his hands and sat there clutching at his hair for a couple

hours in the silent darkness, wishing that he'd never even set foot in the Darkness Temple.

* * *

"HYAH!"

"W-woah-!!"

The monster went flying, blood spurting out of the large cut down its body.

"Pay attention to the fight!!"

"R-right!"

Lloyd hacked down another monster that had attempted to take him from the back, ducking under the claws of another

before swiping up and disconnecting it's head from the remnants of its body. Geez, who knew there were monsters this

tough just around Iselia? They had come all the way back to Sylvarant to find Aska, they'd even gotten all the information

about the Linkite Tree but they still needed an exsphere shard...and Dirk was the only one they could think of. Lloyd, of

course, was not happy with this, but he had no choice but to go along with it...

"Eruption!" Genis cried.

The final monster perished, leaving the group at peace once more.

"Whew..." Zelos sighed, "damn..."

"I don't remember such scary monsters around here..." Colette said.

"It is strange..." Raine said, panting, "we've only seen monsters of this status in Tethe'alla up until now..."

"Whatever!" Sheena groaned. "Man that was rough...!"

Lloyd fidgeted a bit. He wasn't tired in the slightest...

"Hey! You, Mister I'm-too-cool-to-sweat!" Zelos snapped. "Stop standing there all...not tired! It's annoying me!"

Lloyd sighed, "What would you rather have me do then? Whine like a baby?"

"Y'know what? Shove it!"

"Well, Dirk's house is just up ahead so we should- Oh-!"

"Colette! You're bleeding!" Genis said.

"I-it's just a scratch-"

"Like hell," Lloyd hissed, glancing at the cut down Colette's arm, "Professor, could you heal her?"

Raine groaned, "I don't think I have any mana left..."

"...Okay then, someone hand me some bandages," Lloyd said.

Presea complied and Lloyd gently took Colette's arm.

"I- I-" she stammered.

"Hold on a minute..." Lloyd said, applying the bandage, "...there, you okay for now?"

Lloyd blinked in confusion at the massive redness in Colette's face as she spaced off at his, stammering somewhat.

"...Are you okay-?"

"I'm fine!" she blurted. "Sorry!!"

"Huh? Why are you-?"

"I'm sorry!"

Sheena glared death at them. Sure, she got hurt too, but you didn't see her getting special treatment...

"My hunny! Are you injured? Do you need help?" Zelos asked.

SMACK!

"Shut it!"

"Ooooouch! Sheeeeeennnaaaaaaa!!"

"Hmph!"

"...Oooooh, I get it, jealous of the little angel are we?" he grinned.

SMACK!

"Ooooowwwwwwwww!!"

"Idiot-chosen!"

"We should get moving," Regal stated.

Lloyd nodded slowly, he didn't want to go... Though regardless of his feelings they found themselves at the door minutes

later. The swordsman fidgeted a moment as his best friend stopped.

"We...we're gonna have to tell him about Lloyd..." Genis whispered.

He flinched.

"Yes..." Presea trailed.

"I...I'll wait here," Lloyd said.

"What? Why?" Zelos asked.

"I..."

"Don't bother to ask him about it," Raine said, "it's his business."

"But are you sure it's smart to leave him alone? I still don't buy it," Zelos glared.

"...Fine, I'll stay out and watch him,"

"W-what?" Genis blurted.

"Oooooooh! I see!" Zelos smirked. "Why my gorgeous beauty! You've fallen for the 'Ex-villain' type? Heheheh, exotic-"

SMACK!

"Ow-!!"

"Get in there and get that shard!" Raine snarled.

"Y-yes ma'am!"

They scampered inside, not willing to stay out there with the infuriated teacher. Lloyd had already walked off, having not

been home for a while... Slowly he approached his mother's grave...

"...Mom..." he whispered, "...It's been a while..."

Of course, there was no answer, but he always made a habit of talking to the grave...

"...I know it's weird I'm like this..." he whispered, "trust me...there's a good reason..."

His face fell and slowly he ran his fingers along the letters of his mother's name, his eyes growing distant.

"...I'm not sure what's going to happen to me, Mom..." he continued, "...but...I know it will all work it...I mean, it will, won't it?

Yeah...I'm sure it will...it has to...right? ...I...I'm just worried, I guess..."

Raine watched from a ways away, trying to keep watch for the others while watching her pupil at the grave-site...

"..." her eyes narrowed.

This scene looked familiar...Lloyd's back was to her, a tall, broad-shouldered and spiky haired figure spacing off at the

stone... Where...? ...Kratos. Kratos had done the same exact thing at that spot... Just what was their relationship? She knew

there was one, there had to be one, she was sure of it now. Not between Kratos and 'Lartan' as brothers, Kratos and Lloyd.

Her student was related to the Seraph, she knew it, too many hints had been dropped and Lloyd's 'transformation' of sorts

was the straw that broke the camel's back...

"...L- Lartan!" she shouted, the door beginning to open.

Lloyd jolted away from the grave and dashed back over just as the remnants of the group emerged from the house.

"We got the exsphere shard," Genis said.

"Yeah! Now we can go revive the Linkite Tree!" Colette chirped.

"We'll have to find it first, of course," Regal reminded them.

"Yeah...let's get on the rheairds and look around," Sheena nodded.

"We'll look around the mountains, it has to be in a place we can't normally reach," Raine stated.

"Right-o! Off we go!" Zelos said.

There was a silence.

"..What's the matter?" Lloyd asked of the group in general.

"Huh? N-nothing..." Genis sighed, "it just...doesn't feel right without Lloyd saying 'let's go!' or 'let's do it!' or being all excited

about something we know he'll get bored with right off the back..."

There was more silence as Lloyd did his best not to say anything, not to do anything that'd give himself away...

"...We should head off..." he said quietly after a minute.

"Yeah..."

Later that night, however, they had yet to find the much sought after tree. They instead settled down to camp somewhere

around the Hima region, seeing as that's where they were once the sun began to set. It was late, the members of the group

slept soundly here and there...even the night-watch, Raine, had fallen asleep...but that was all right. She knew that

someone else was awake. Lloyd sat furthest from the group, his eyes glazed looking as he dazed off into the dying embers

of the fire. There was a whining sound and he turned, Noishe trotting up beside him.

"...Hey, Noishe," he smiled weakly, scratching the 'dogs' ear, "I was wondering where you went..."

"Are you all right?"

Lloyd jolted at the sound of the voice, turning to it's source behind him.

"...You..." he whispered.

Kratos stood several feet behind him, his silhouette dimly illuminated by the ebbing glow of the fire.

"What do you want? What are you doing here?" Lloyd asked, getting to his feet.

"..." Kratos seemed to hesitate, "I wanted to see if you were all right."

"All right? Well gee, aside from everyone thinking I'm your brother and the fact I'm stuck like this, yeah, sure, why wouldn't I

be all right?" the red-clad swordsman hissed, his eyes narrowed.

"..." Kratos closed his eyes, "...I realize it must be..difficult."

"No, duh, really?" he spat.

"...However, you should try to remain calm-"

"Shut up!" Lloyd snarled. "Just shut up! What do you know about this?! You have no IDEA what I'm going through!"

"..." Kratos' eyes narrowed.

"...W...what? Why are you looking at me like that...?" Lloyd trailed.

"Come with me," Kratos said, turning on heel.

"What?" Lloyd blinked.

"You can stay if you wish, but if you come it may benefit you," he stated.

Lloyd hesitated, looking back at his sleeping comrades and to his side at Noishe, who seemed to be urging him after the

Cruxis Angel. The twin swordsman fidgeted a moment more before walking after Kratos, the white strips of cloth that hung

down the Seraph's back like swaying dancing phantoms as the bright moonlight cast a glow on them. As Lloyd followed

something about this scene triggered a feeling of nostalgia... That silhouette was familiar...well, of course it was, during the

Regeneration Journey in Sylvarant he saw it a lot...right? Kratos stopped.

"...So what is it-?"

"Double demon fang!"

"Wha-?! Woah!"

Lloyd dodged out of the way of the attacks, the sword forces reducing a rock behind him to pebbles.

"W-what the hell was that for?!" he roared.

"Good, your reflexes are how I expected," the Seraph nodded.

"Hey! Answer me you-! Wait..."

Lloyd looked back at the pile of rubble that was previously a rock.

"...You...never did that before..."

"Naturally, there was no need to before," he stated.

"...Wait...you were holding back last time! I knew it!" Lloyd accused.

"You were not a serious enough threat then," Kratos stated simply, "there was no need to expose my true abilities."

Lloyd's eyes widened.

"Then why are you...?"

Kratos gestured to a nearby boulder.

"Now, you try," he said.

"M-me?" Lloyd stared.

"You have that sort of power now, do you not?" Kratos asked. "Power is nothing if not controlled, a raging fire will destroy

everything including its creator if not harnessed and manipulated. If you continue as you are now without a firm

understanding and control of your abilities you will harm someone you do not intend to harm. Now, draw your weapons and

perform the technique."

"...Why are you helping me?" Lloyd asked.

"..." Kratos' eyes narrowed, "would you rather you injure your friends?"

Lloyd shook his head and took out his swords, turning his attention to the rock Kratos had motioned to.

"...Demon fang!"

The rock exploded.

"W-woah-!!"

"Wrong," Kratos stated, "you need to concentrate your mana into a single point at the head of the attack, you have it

loosely spread throughout the entire wave making it harder to control and predict."

"...Uhm...so you're saying if it's all in one place it'll...not...go all over the place?"

Kratos sighed, "Something to that effect. That, and if your mana is...gathered in one place, it'll do more damage on a foe."

"Okay...I think I get it..." Lloyd trailed, "...demon fang!"

This time the rock fell to pebbles.

"Huh-? I did it! ...Though it doesn't look as strong as what I did before,"

Kratos walked forward and pointed back at the rock he had destroyed previously. Lloyd blinked and looked back...to find not

only the rock he had hit reverted to rubble, but so had several directly behind it, the last huge rock in the succession (being a

mountainous area) being scarred by a huge, clean cut crevice.

"It goes further with more force when controlled," Kratos stated simply as Lloyd gaped, "if I were to use that on a living

creature it would be sliced in halves..and disintegrate most likely from the mana radiation."

Lloyd gaped at Kratos. This man was really that powerful...? If that was the case, how come he didn't just kill them all

before...? It didn't make sense, and why would he show him how to do this...?

"Now..." Kratos turned to him, "come at me."

"W-what-!?" Lloyd gasped.

"Are you frightened?" Kratos tilted his head to the side.

"N-no- I just- I mean- I can't-"

"You learn best through experience," the Seraph took a fighting stance, "now come at me, or I come at you."

Lloyd swallowed nervously before going into his own stance.

"All right...Here I come!"

Several minutes later, Lloyd was panting on the ground, Kratos standing before him.

"Y..you...what...ARE you...?" Lloyd stammered between gasps.

"I've had...a lot of experience..." Kratos smirked weakly.

Lloyd's eyes widened.

"H-hey...are...you...TIRED?!" he stared.

"..." Kratos was breathing somewhat more irregular than normal, and perhaps it was the dim light but Lloyd could've sworn

there was a bead of sweat on his brow, "...I haven't had to exert myself this much in a long time..."

Lloyd gaped at him.

"...Heh," Kratos smirked, holding up his arm, "you got a cut on me..."

The 'teen' went bug-eyed, seeing the small wound on the angel's arm.

"Nowhere near beating me..." he smiled weakly, "but...very, very well done..."

Loyd continued to stare.

"...Healing wind!"

A green light surrounded them both and let felt his energy returning, Kratos' wound healed and he regained his usual

composure. Slowly Lloyd got to his feet as Kratos sheathed his sword.

"...Of course...in a real fight I would've been able to do that after that one instant I knocked you back," he stated, "you must

remember to leave no openings at any time, give them no quarter whatsoever."

Lloyd twitched.

"W-wait-! So you could've healed yourself?!"

"Yes."

"You were STILL holding back on me?!" he growled.

"..." Kratos turned, "you should get back to your friends before they wake up."

"Kratos-!"

There was a blue light and feathers as the Seraph simply warped away.

"...Dammit..." Lloyd muttered.

He groaned, still aching from the fight... Yeah, he should probably get back with the others... Though...why was Kratos so

keen on helping him? Why did he care so much? And why did they look so much... He shook his head. He didn't care, he

didn't want to know, he just wanted to go back to sleep... Then, he could look less like Kratos if he just put his hair back to

normal, but then someone would notice it...Raine already did... Lloyd sighed and headed back to camp, his mind wandering.

...Once this was all over, what would he do? If he was an adult now...maybe he could be a blacksmith? But wait, no...there

were still the exspheres. He'd go around and get rid of the exspheres. ...By himself... Was that how... Was that howhe was

going to live from now on...?

**Me: ARGH! BAD SELF! (smacks)**

**Colette: O-oh dear! What's wrong?**

**Me: The plotbunnies are back! T.T**

**Colette: Um...isn't that a good thing?**

**Me: NO! Because they're not helping with the stories I HAVE! I had this idea that just popped up...kinda like Lloyd!**

**Cruxis thing, right? Except like...well, it was a lot different than anything on the site right now...and that's sort of saying **

**something, seeing as there's a lot of them...**

**Colette: ...Um...**

**Me: I so want to write that now! But I have too many stories! T.T WAH! Why can't I even finish one...? T.T...**

**Colette:...**

**Me: Hm...maybe once I finish this one...**

**Colette: Don't you have-?**

**Me: YES I have eight other stories I'm writing! (Grumbles) Only one of which is anywhere near done...being this one...**

**Colette: Um...review...? **


	5. Brewing Trouble

**It's still raining! n.n**

**Colette: It's been for a while now...**

**Me: Off and on, anyway! Oh I love it when it rains!**

**Colette:...Freakyanimegal owns nothing.**

**Me: I'm siiiiiing-ing in the rain! Just siiiiiiinging in the raaiiiinnn!!**

**Colette:...Enjoy...? n.n' **

**Brewing Trouble**

"RESSURRECTION!"

The group watched in awe as the Linkite Tree sprang to life, a beautiful, spring green plant with large seeds... Linkite nuts,

that is. Raine smiled, pleased with herself as the group cheered.

"Yes! Now we can meet Aska!"

"Yeah, we just have to make a flute or something-!" Genis stopped. "Um..."

"What is it, Genis?" Presea asked.

"...Lloyd's not here...who's going to make it?" he asked.

An eerie silence fell on them.

"...I..." Lloyd trailed.

Everyone turned to look at him.

"...Crafting used to be a hobby of mine..." Lloyd trailed, "Presea crafts too, right? Perhaps both of us together could make

something that'll work... I mean, if you wanted me to try..."

"I think that's a good idea," Raine said.

"Ooooh, always backing him, aren't you?" Zelos smirked.

"Sheena, smack him for me would you?"

"With pleasure."

SMACK!

"Oooowwwwwww!"

Lloyd ignored them and picked a few nuts from the tree.

"Here, let's see what we can do with these," he said.

"All right," Presea nodded.

The two of them walked off a bit and began to work. Genis watched one with narrowed eyes. Lartan sure seemed

comfortable with Presea...and his sister! What did that jerk think he was doing, moving in on his girl and his sister?!

PRESEA WAS HIS, DAMMIT! And seriously! Colette was dazing off on him too! How dare this guy come out of nowhere, snag

his territory and Lloyd's crush?! The half-elf sat on the ground and pouted, glaring at 'Lartan'...

"...You pissed too?"

Genis looked up to see Zelos, who also was glaring.

"...Why are YOU mad?"

"Well duh! He's taking all the chicks!" Zelos growled. "I mean, it's not just the little angel and the siren, but my voluptuous

hunny hasn't stopped checking him out since we met!"

The Chosen sat on the ground beside Genis, sulking to the fullest extent.

"Even the rosebud! Look! Look at her!" Zelos pointed.

Lloyd was currently beginning to sculpt an instrument of some kind, showing Presea, who didn't specialize in that type of

thing, how best to fashion it, how to hollow it out...and the pink-haired girl seemed in fact to be rather impressed... After

all, she was really Lartan's age...

"She's all 'oooh! Hot older guy!' Dammit, I'm hot!" Zelos scoffed.

"I know!" Genis fumed. "Who does he think he is?!"

"Taking all my hunnies..."

"Hitting on my sister..."

"Now..." Regal said, coming up to them, "I don't believe he's as bad as you say."

"What-?! How long have you been listening?!"

"Long enough," he said, "the women merely find him attractive, that does not necessarily mean they are in love or

infatuated with him. That, and he has not deliberately made advances on them."

"...I still don't like him," Genis muttered.

"Yeah yeah, old timer, once Sheena stops looking at him I'll like him!"

Both of the younger males began to pout again, glaring at 'Lartan' as Regal sighed.

"Besides...have any of you noted he's rather...familiar?"

"Huh?" both of them looked at him.

"It may just be my imagination, however...is he not highly reminiscent of Lloyd?"

"WHAT?!"

"You're comparing Lloyd to that guy!?"

"No way! My bud would never take my hunnies from me!"

"Nevermind, nevermind..." Regal sighed, "...I'll go make lunch..."

Meanwhile, as this was going on Raine was reading off to the side...not taking her eyes off Lloyd, incidentally. She was still

trying to unravel the mystery surrounding her pupil as in how to change him back, and his relation to Kratos... Try as she

might, something was still off. The most she could infer was Kratos was his father...but that was impossible, Kratos was too

young. However, nothing else seemed to make sense...perhaps they really were brothers? But then...he was a little old...

Cousins? Was Kratos an uncle? Hm...

"Hey..."

Raine looked up to see Sheena glaring down at her.

"...Yes, what is it?"

"...He's cute, isn't he?" she said, blushing somewhat.

"What? Who's cute?" Raine frowned.

"Don't be stupid, HIM..." Sheena said, gesturing toward 'Lartan'.

Raine went bug-eyed.

"...I..." she trailed, shocked, "I wouldn't say so-"

"Oh bull, I saw you staring at him," she huffed, flushing more.

"Wha-? N-no, I wasn't looking at him because of THAT..."

"Sure..." Sheena glared, "...what happened between you two?"

She almost fell over.

"Ha-? Nothing 'happened'-!"

"Oh come on, you're always coming to his defense and 'watching him'..." the summoner said, "so do you like him or what?"

"I don't-" Raine stammered, between embarrassed and disgusted.

"Come on! Tell me, do you guys have anything going on?!" Sheena asked.

"N-no! Of course not!" Raine was bright red.

"...Okay then...so that means it's okay if...someone else were to flirt with him?"

"..." Raine choked on her saliva.

"Hah! So you DO like him!" she pointed.

"Wh-what? No, it's not that at all-!"

But what was she supposed to say? No, I don't like him, he's Lloyd, I'm just concerned for him. Yeah...not going to

happen... She looked back at Lloyd and flushed when something inside her went 'click'...he really was...very attractive. If

Sheena wasn't watching, she would've smacked herself. How could she think that about LLOYD of all people?! He was a

child-! ...Well...it's not like she was exactly old herself...that and... Lloyd TECHNICALLY wasn't a child anymore...and there

was the possibility he might never be again... So...her face flushed, if he was an adult now, and stuck that way..was

it...wrong, to think of him that way? That and...though Lloyd was an idiot, he was a very strong, good-hearted, idealistic

and kind man- BOY! He was a BOY! But...but... Sheena smirked.

"I was right, you do like him," she said.

"N-!"

"Fine, deny it all you want," she shrugged, "I'm just going to let you know...if you don't claim him, he's free game."

"..." Raine's eye twitched.

"U-um..."

Both women found Colette walking toward them, flushing.

"I...I'm sorry, I heard you talking...I'm really sorry," she said, "b-but...do you two both...really like him?"

"Why-?" Sheena stared. "Oh Jizou...! Colette! You too?!"

"N-no! Of course not!" she shook her head violently.

"Oh good, because he's a bit too old for you..."

Colette flushed, "W-well...you're not that much older than me..."

"...What?" Sheena said flatly.

"I-! I'm sorry, I'm just saying-! I'm sorry!"

"...He's too old for both of you," Raine stated, point out a fact, "you should give up on him."

Of course, she said that only so they'd get their eyes off 'Lartan' for Lloyd's sake...that...was, why she said it, right?

However, the two other girls took this the other direction.

"P-professor! So you DO like him-?!" Colette gasped.

"I knew it!" Sheena said.

"N-no-! I just-!"

"Well too bad!" Sheena said. "I'm sure he'd much prefer MY type over yours."

Okay, now it was getting personal.

"What type is that?" Raine hissed. "The big-breasted, no brains type?"

Raine smacked herself.

"E-excuse me?!" Sheena snapped.

"W-well..." Colette trailed, "Um...Sheena...that is kinda what...they look at..."

"Well I'd rather be that than flat!" Sheena snapped.

Silence fell like a hammer.

"W-what do-? I-!" Colette flushed.

"...Oh...oh Colette I'm sorry-!" Sheena started.

"Y-you know what?!" Colette turned bright red. "I- I don't need to be like you! I could get him to like me without... THOSE!"

Sheena glared, "HAH! You don't have a chance!"

"W-we'll see about that!" Colette cried, red with both embarrassment and frustration.

With that she stormed off, tripped...then got up and stormed off some more.

"Oh it's on..." Sheena muttered.

"R-really, you two shouldn't-" Raine stammered.

"Can it, Raine! We know you just want him for yourself!"

"I-!" Raine snapped.

Sheena stormed off.

"...Oh sweet motherland Derris-Kharlan..." Raine groaned, "what have I gotten myself into...?"

"Lunch is ready!" Regal called.

The group gathered around to sit about the dish Regal had prepared. Lloyd collected his dish and hesitated a moment,

considering going back to eat by himself when Colette stopped him.

"H-hey...y-you can sit with m- us," she said.

"What? I..." Lloyd trailed.

"Please...I don't like seeing you by yourself..." she blushed.

Oh what was she doing?! She liked Lloyd! And he was way too old for her...but...she really didn't like seeing him

lonely...and Sheena...oooooh! It made her so mad! She was nice! She was an angel! She was the CHOSEN darn it all! She

could get anyone even without being like Sheena!

"Please?" she asked again, giving him the full blast of her big, starry blue eyes.

"U-um...all right..." Lloyd fidgeted, boy Colette was acting weird.

Slowly Lloyd sat down, Colette smiling and sitting beside him.

"Good," she smiled, "I hope you like Regal's cooking, he's a great chef! Hee!"

"Um..."

Sheena spotted this and her eye twitched.

"Hey, mind if I sit here?" she asked, pointing to Lloyd's opposite side.

Colette turned bright red and Lloyd blinked.

"Uh...Sure, if you want to...I guess..."

"Great!" Sheena sat down next to him.

Colette and Sheena locked eyes from beside Lloyd, glaring at each other.

"Uhm...are you two okay...?" Lloyd trailed.

"Fine!" Colette smiled. "So um...Mr. Lartan? How are you so good at crafting stuff?"

"Uh...well...I used to make stuff for fun when I was a kid..." Lloyd said.

"Oh?" Sheena smiled. "I like a man that's good with his hands."

Lloyd flushed bright red as Sheena batted her eyelashes at him, smirking.

"Uh...I...what?" Lloyd stammered.

"I- I bet you're really good at other stuff too!" Colette said, trying to change the subject.

"Oh, I'll bet," Sheena purred, waggling an eyebrow.

Lloyd was getting very uncomfortable at this point.

"I...uh..."

"M-mister Lartan!" Colette tugged his sleeve, making him look at her once more. "I...um...do you want me to get you some

butter for your biscuit or something?"

She of course, was gesturing to the piece of bread on Lloyd's plate.

"Uh-"

"I can 'butter your biscuit' if you want..." Sheena grinned.

"W-what?"

"Oh nothing, it's just, if there's anything I could ever do for you..." Sheena sat up straighter, further pronouncing her bosom

as Lloyd shot an even darker shade of red.

"N-no, that's okay, I- I- think I'll just-" he started to get up.

"W-wait! Please don't go!" Colette cried.

"But I-"

"Please?" Colette gave him the most adorable puppy-eyes she could muster.

Lloyd paled, his throat tightening. She was just so cute when she did that...

"N-no, l-look, I think I- I- should just go sit by myself-"

"Don't sit by yourself! I'll go with you!" Sheena said.

"No! I said I'd go with him!" Colette cried, flushing.

"He wouldn't want a little girl around!"

"I-! I'm not a little girl-!"

"Psh! Yeah right-! Hey...where'd he go?"

Lloyd had retreated to the far side of the 'campsite' shaking a bit as he situated himself with the other males.

"Dammit," Sheena muttered.

"Darn..." Colette moaned.

'Lartan' was currently having an episode, shaking violently.

"Uh...hey, you okay?" Genis asked slowly.

"...Dude?" Zelos poked him.

"I...I...they're..." Lloyd stammered, dark red in the face.

"...You don't get much taste for the opposite sex, do ya?" Zelos smirked.

"Sh-shut up..."

"That's funny, seeing as you get all the girls crawling after ya..."

Lloyd said nothing and bit into his food, trying to ignore the philanderer.

"...So...you really DIDN'T hit on my sister?" Genis asked.

Lloyd began to choke.

"H-hey! Are you all right-?!"

"I- I'm fine!" he stammered, swallowing the chunk of food he was choking on. "I just...and no, I didn't!"

"Oh...okay then," Genis smiled.

"...What?"

"Well, I kinda didn't like you because I thought..."

"Oh geez! No!" Lloyd cried.

"...What?" Zelos frowned, suspicious.

"I- I- she's...just not my type," he coughed.

"Oh really? Then what is your type?" the pervert smirked.

"Uh...I..." Lloyd flushed, "...someone kind...sweet...I um...like blondes..."

"Aaaaahhhh...I see, you like the 'innocent little girl' type," Zelos waggled his eyebrows.

"I..."

"Oh good!" Genis let out a sigh of relief. "Raine's nothing like that at all!"

SMACK!

"O-ow-! SIS?!"

Raine had been walking behind them, glaring down at her sibling.

"Oh! Hello my glamorous beauty!" Zelos grinned. "What's the matter? Mad you're not Lartan's type? Hehehe- OW!"

Now both Zelos and Genis were clutching their heads.

"...Thank you," Lloyd said.

"Don't mention it," she stated, "by the way..."

"Yeah?"

Raine hesitated a moment, her thoughts scattering when she saw his face. He had such intense eyes...such an attractive

face...her eyes slid over his shoulders and torso. That and...damn, what a man...

"..P...Professor...?" Lloyd stammered.

"What?" she jolted, shaking her head. "I...I'm sorry, I forgot what I was going to- I'll be over there."

The half-elf blushed vibrantly and ran off, ashamed of herself.

"...Huh?" Lloyd blinked.

"Well, it doesn't matter if you were hitting on HER..." Zelos grinned, "she's after YOU."

Lloyd jumped about a foot.

"W-WHAT?!" he shouted.

Silence fell, the group staring at the red-clad warrior.

"I...uh..."

Lloyd hesitated a minute and then went back to shoveling his face, attempting to go on like nothing had happened.

"...Weirdo," Genis said, "...Wait...Raine...doesn't..."

Then Genis threw up.

A little while after lunch Lloyd and Presea had finished the ocarina.

"Right, here, Genis,"

Lloyd turned and handed the instrument to Genis, who looked at it in awe.

"Wow...you did a great job..." he said.

"Heh, nah, not really..." Lloyd grinned.

Genis looked at him, then went to look back at the instrument before jolting his head back up to stare at the tall man.

Wait...that face...that face looked just...with that grin...he looked like...

"...Hey," he frowned, "are you all right-?"

"Y-yeah!" Genis shook his head. "Okay! I'm gonna play it now!"

"Okay!" Sheena summoned Sylph.

The short half-elf played the ocarina as Sylph blew the notes on the wind. They only had to wait a minute before Aska

appeared before them in all his shiny glory, the group awed by the mystical being.

_Who called me? _

"I did! I am Sheena, I wish to form a pact with you!"

_Has Luna agreed?_

"We don't have a pact with her yet, but we will!"

_Very well, I will go and wait with Luna._

Then it flew off.

"Okay then...let's head for the tower of mana," Genis said.

"Right!" Colette chirped.

"You've never seen a pactmaking, have you, Lartan?" Sheena asked.

"Uh..." Lloyd trailed.

"Just watch, I'm sure you'll think it's cool," she grinned.

"Stop flirting with her..." Zelos muttered under his breath.

"Stop flirting with him..." Colette barely whispered.

"Well...shouldn't we be moving on?" Lloyd asked, turning from them.

Sheena snapped her fingers in frustration while the two Chosen mentally did the happy chicken dance. Soon the group was

off again and into the tower. Luckily of course, this time all the entrances and bridges were already accessible so it wasn't

as furiously annoying to get to the top as it was the last time. They had made good progress until they got to the final

warp pad...

"Stop!"

Kratos had blocked their path.

"You-!" Genis started.

"Lartan, hear me out!" Kratos ignored the half-elf.

"H-hey-!"

No one noticed it, with perhaps the exception of Raine, but for a split second Kratos did almost call Lloyd by his real name.

Though, however...she wasn't the only one who noticed. Genis blinked and then looked up at the tall red-clad man and the

tingling feeling of suspicion edged at him again...

"If you make this pact, the defense around the great seed will be completely lost!"

"And that's exactly what we desire!"

Kratos dodged as a mass of electric mana blew past him, the caster appearing on the platform with them. Yuan had arrived

on the scene but his eyes widened when he looked at 'Lartan'...

"You're...?!" he stammered.

"Yuan! What you're hoping for will not happen! If they make the pact-!" Kratos said.

"Do you think we'll pass up this opportunity?!" Yuan snarled. "The rest of you! Make the pact! I'll keep him busy!"

"But-"

"GO!"

The group raced off and quickly warped away, though when Lloyd was inches from it he found himself dodging a rather well

aimed 'grave' spell. The rocks came up and entombed the warp spot, as its name dictated. Lloyd went wide-eyed and

turned to look at the caster.

"Lloyd!" Kratos said. "You've got to listen to me!"

"So it is him..." Yuan's eyes narrowed, "I figured as much...Lloyd! The both of us can take him for good!"

"I..."

"If the seed's protection falls it'll be a catastrophe!" Kratos snapped. "Yuan, you have more sense than this!"

"SILENCE!"

Yuan hurled a large mass of electricity at the rocks surrounding the warp pad, eliminating the barricade of sorts.

"Go!" he shouted at Lloyd.

Lloyd looked at Yuan, then at Kratos who looked- though he never though he'd see it- panicked. What could be so bad that

KRATOS would be so flustered that he was acting like this...?

"GO YOU FOOL!"

Lloyd turned and dashed to the portal. A second later he ran up the stairs to find the rest of the group already struggling.

Aska, in fact, was about to snap off Genis' head... Lloyd then hacked through its neck. The half-elf yelped and turned as the

bird-spirit screeched, one neck now ending in a stump before the mana could reform itself. That time was more than

enough of an advantage.

"HUNTING BEAST!"

This time Aska stayed down.

"Th-that..." Genis whispered, his eyes going wide.

He had seen Lloyd do that technique before, and though he knew dual swordsmen had to have several similar moves, this

one was too perfect. Not perfect, really, more along the lines of a perfect imitation...

"Genis-!"

The half-elf turned just in time to see a blast of light mana hurtling toward him, Luna having just cast it.

"MOVE you idiot!"

Lloyd grabbed his arm and yanked him from harm's way just as Sheena and Zelos performed 'Mirage Thrust' and ended the

fight, both Luna and Aska returning to their position on the altar.

"Th-thanks..." Genis stammered.

"Whew..." Lloyd sighed in relief, then glared, "you idiot! You don't space off during a fight!"

"S-sorry, but..." the boy trailed.

"Okay okay..." the swordsman sighed, "...it's okay."

It was then that Sheena received the pact...

"You did it!" Yuan shouted, having just come on the scene.

"No!" Kratos shouted.

Then something went very, very truly wrong.

"W-woah-!!"

The world began to shake, the tower creaking and then all but jerking to the side, causing the people atop it to yelp and

attempt to grab something so as not to slide off the summit while giant roots crept around the structure.

"W-what happened?!"

"We need to get off this thing-!"

Colette took to the air and grabbed a hold of the one closest, being Presea. Yuan snatched up Raine and Regal and Kratos

took Sheena and Zelos, Colette went to move to attempt to get Genis and Lloyd but just then the tower jerked even more

violently all but throwing the young mage and the swordsman off the side. Raine let out a cry for her brother and Kratos'

eyes widened with horror but then they managed to see a rather odd sight, seeing as the collapsing tower now was

positioned so it allowed them to see straight down... Where Genis had been saved by a very stunned looking Lloyd...he of

course, being stunned by the fact he had somehow just sprouted rather large, vibrant green and blue wings. Raine, Kratos

and Yuan went wide-eyed but first thing was first, they got the hell away from there and landed. The majority of the group

turned to look toward the giant, monstrous tree that had appeared, silenced in a horror-stricken awe. Lloyd, however, had

yet to notice it seeing as he was still a little tiny bit shocked that he had sprouted wings...

"WHERE THE HELL DID THESE COME FROM!?"

...All right, not just a tiny bit.

"Huh-?" everyone looked at him.

"What? The wings? Well you're a Cruxis guy aren't you? We kinda have bigger prob-" Zelos started.

"WHAT? I didn't have-!"

Raine slammed a hand over his mouth.

"Mmph-!"

"Calm down!" she hissed. "We do in fact have bigger problems!"

It was then Lloyd noted the giant tree that was twisting and writhing in the landscape. His eyes widened and he almost

completely forgot about the appendages protruding from his back.

"W..what is that?" he whispered, seeing as Raine had released him.

"...Is that the...Giant Kharlan Tree?!" Genis gasped.

"What?! That THING?!" Sheena cried.

"I was afraid this would happen..." Kratos said in disdain.

"What? What are you talking about?" Yuan snapped.

As the Seraph explained the situation of the tree, Lloyd actually for once in his life managed to pay attention and actually

THINK about it. After the problem was explained, however...

"We don't need to know WHY it's happening!" he snapped. "Just tell us how to stop it!"

The group stared at him.

"...What?" he snapped, angered that they were wasting time looking at him.

"...That's...oddly familiar..." Zelos said.

"...Wait..." Genis whispered.

Kratos quickly stepped in to explain some more of the situation, effectively saving Lloyd's cover for the time being. Though

after a minute Lloyd spoke up again, this time, though...

"If that's the case, couldn't we just set the opposing Summon Spirits against it?"

"Huh?" Colette blinked.

"Well...the positives and negates of a magnet neutralize each other, right? So it could be the same case here-"

"Uh...they don't do that," Zelos said.

"...T-that's not important!" Lloyd stammered before turning to the Seraphim. "Could it work or not?!"

"But even if that would work, how would we do it? We can't get near it!" Sheena said.

"The Mana Cannon," Yuan said.

"The Mana Cannon?" Genis asked.

"We were manipulating Rodyle into building that, we can charge it with the mana of Tethe'alla's spirits and fire it at the

Tree," Yuan stated, "that should be able to re-contain it."

"All right then, here's the plan," Kratos started, "Yuan, I'm going to pretend I don't know who you've been working with or

what you've been doing, in return you'll tell the Renegades to stop-"

"Sir!" a Renegade ran up to Yuan. "Forcystus has executed our infiltration team!"

The half-elf swore.

"That's a problem...if the mana reactor in the ranch isn't shut down the Tree will keep feeding off it..." he muttered, "...I

could send a team back to the Ranch and one to go with you all and the summoner to the cannon-"

"I'll head for the ranch," Kratos stated, "I'll give a signal once the reactor is deactivated. There are too many things we

need the Renegades to do, Yuan, you don't have enough troops to do everything..."

"I'll go," Lloyd said.

"L-" Raine started.

"Sheena, you can head for the Mana Cannon," Lloyd said, "the rest of us can go to the Iselia ranch and stop the reactor.

You wouldn't be able to trust the signal if it just came from Kratos, right?"

"Well...yeah..." Sheena frowned.

"Fine then, we have no time to waste, let us hurry," Kratos stated.

The group nervously looked at each other before Sheena parted with some of the Renegades, the remaining group

members staring at Lloyd some more, then at Kratos, then back...

"...What were we just standing around here for?! We need to go!" Lloyd said.

They nodded, right, they had a job to do...

"..." Genis bit his lip.

This Lartan guy...was he really who he said he was...? Something was very, very off here...he was so much like...could it be

that...? No, that was impossible, but it was starting to be very...

"Um...Dude? You going to put away the wings or what?" Zelos asked.

Lloyd flinched, he chanced a quick glance at his back before taking a deep breath... Okay, how did Colette do it...? Did you

just think about it and they left...? He flinched as he felt them retract. Oh...okay, so you did just have to think about

it...but...how did he even...?

"We're wasting time, let's go," Kratos said.

Lloyd nodded, and he didn't know that both his teacher and Kratos were both just as stunned and concerned as he was...

Especially since they both seemed to notice they weren't the only ones giving Lloyd suspicious looks...

**I just would like to say that yes, the girls were probably a bit ooc at the beginning but I really don't care. n.n It was so **

**damn much fun to write that part, I hope you can forgive me...**

**Colette: At least I wasn't as ooc as Sheena...**

**Me: True. Review please? n.n' **


	6. Iselia

**Hi guys! n.n It's getting dark earlier now...**

**Colette: Summer's half over...**

**Me: SILENCE! T.T Say the disclaimer...**

**Colette: Um...Freakyanimegal owns nothing?**

**Iselia**

"Why did you take me along?"

The group stopped and turned to look at the Cruxis Seraph.

"...Keep your friends close, your enemies closer," Lloyd said, "it's easier to keep an eye on you this way."

"Heh," Kratos smirked. "I see..."

"So um...how do we get in?" Genis asked.

"Hm..." Lloyd trailed.

"Then..." the half-elf glared, "you could probably just jump down from the cliff like last time...

"W-"

Lloyd barely caught himself at the look Raine gave him.

"W...what are you talking about?" Lloyd asked.

"...Nevermind," Genis huffed, still not looking away from Lloyd.

"I can simply fly over it...like this," Kratos said.

He spread his sapphire wings and zoomed over the gate, landing on the other side and opening the gate.

"...That works," Colette said.

"Right, let's go," Lloyd said.

The group made their way into the complex, reaching a moment where they could have Raine hack into the system to locate

the mana reactor. However, there was also the issue of the captives...

"We can split up," Lloyd said.

"I'll take care of the mana reactor," Kratos stated, "I doubt any of you will know how the properly deactivate it."

Raine glared.

"Wait, I'm coming with you then," Lloyd said.

"Then I'm going," Raine stated, "...Presea, would you come as well?"

"What-?" Lloyd started.

"I don't trust you two," Raine said, "so naturally I want to keep an eye on you."

"But Raine-!" Genis said.

"I will go," Presea stated.

"But-!" Genis stammered.

"I will take care of your sister, Genis," Presea stated.

"So it's decided," Raine said, "Regal, the rest of you can evacuate the captives, right?"

He nodded.

"Grr...Fine," Lloyd said, "let's go."

"Since when did you become leader anyway, chick-bait?" Zelos asked.

"I-"

"We don't have any time, let's find the captives and then split up," Raine said.

Well, finding the captives was relatively easily... Needless to say, the grunts fell rather quickly. Though then they had to

split up the team...

"Wait!"

Lloyd stared. It was Chocolat.

"W-where's Lloyd?" she asked, looking at them.

"...Lloyd's...um..." Genis muttered.

"He's...not here," Colette said.

"Oh...then...could you tell him that I'm...sorry?" she said.

Lloyd fidgeted.

"...Yeah," Colette forced a smile.

"...We should get moving," Raine said.

Lloyd nodded, "Yeah..."

So they went their separate ways, and it wasn't very long before the group of Lloyd, Kratos, Raine and Presea found

themselves on the bridge like path leading to the mana reactor. That's when Forcystus showed up.

"That's as far as you go," he said.

"Forcystus!" Lloyd said.

"Well what do you know, the rumors were true," Forcystus smirked.

"...Rumors? What rumors?" Lloyd paled.

"That doesn't matter, the point is that you're not getting out of here alive!"

"Wait! If you don't stop the reactor this world will-!"

"What do we care? We have Derris-Kharlan!"

"Tch, let me guess...you think that even if this world is destroyed, you can go to Derris-Kharlan?" Kratos huffed. "Yggdrasill

would never waste his time saving pawns... The fool actually would go this far just to protect her? By putting the worlds

and his followers in peril?"

"...You speak as if you know him...who are you?" the half-elf hissed.

"It is of little consequence," he stated, drawing his sword.

"Heh, fine then!"

Forcystus ran at them, Lloyd barely getting a sword out in time to block the cannon on the Grand Cardinal's arm. He barely

had time to back up before the half-elf hurled a large gust of wind at them, only a quickly cast 'guardian' preventing the

dual swordsman from toppling over. Forcystus took advantage of this opportunity to attempt to disable Raine, the healer,

but was deflected with several well placed blocks on Kratos' part. Presea slammed her axe down from above towards the

Desian's head, but he side-stepped and then bashed the girl hard upside the head, knocking her down. Lloyd and Kratos

both rushed for him before he agilely jumped from their way, Lloyd skidding to a stop while Kratos already was assaulting

the half-elf once more. Raine cast Resurrection, Presea pulling herself to her feet... Then almost got knocked down again

when a droid of some sort came from nowhere-

"RISING FALCON!"

The machine was in pieces, Lloyd reclaiming his footing to scan the area for any others-

"BEAST!" Presea knocked back two.

"Oh crap-!" Lloyd cried.

Several dozen of the magitechs had appeared.

"Lartan! Take those out! Presea! Protect Raine!" Kratos snapped.

As he said that Forcystus attempted to roundhouse kick the Seraph, who, in a liquid-like motion, ducked under his leg and

then attempted to slice at his head, being blocked once more. He grunted, normally he wouldn't have such problems with

Forcystus, but the droids Lloyd had yet to take out where hovering about, making it difficult to focus on the Grand Cardinal.

Presea, at least, was doing a superb job of protecting the healer, who just dished another curing spell to Lloyd.

Though...Lloyd was in fact doing a great job... Then he refocused his attention to see the fist coming for him. He dodged by

a hair's width...

"TAKE THIS-!!"

Forcystus almost shot Kratos-

"HYAH!"

And then Lloyd sent him flying.

"..." Kratos paled.

"You okay?" Lloyd asked.

"I'm fine, focus on the fight," Kratos said, racing for Forcystus again.

"Well gee, you're welcome!" Lloyd spat, chasing after him.

Kratos looked at him and nodded.

"CROSS THRUST!"

Forcystus choked, staggering backwards before falling into the reactor...

"NURSE!"

Healing magic encircled them, some of their fatigue leaving.

"...Whew..." Lloyd sighed in relief.

"..." Kratos walked over and pushed a few buttons.

The reactor stopped.

"You really are handy with everything, aren't you?" Lloyd asked, seeing as Raine was still tending to Presea. "Swords,

magic, magitechnology...geez..."

"I've lived a little longer than most humans," he said.

"Really...?" Lloyd frowned. "Wait-"

"It's not important, we need to give the signal,"

"R...right," Lloyd nodded.

Kratos took a few steps, then stopped.

"...Thank you,"

"...Heh," Lloyd grinned.

"..." then he kept walking.

Several minutes later they had regrouped with the rest of them outside, the escapees standing around as Regal's group

secured the perimeter for them. Lloyd and the others came out to find everything in check...

"Did you succeed?" Regal asked.

Raine nodded, "Yes, someone needs to give the signal-"

"L-Lartan-!" Colette cried.

"H-? GAH!"

Lloyd hit the floor, a barely breathing Forcystus standing in the doorway.

"I am one of the Five Desian Grand Cardinals!" he spat. "I won't die so easily!"

"So this is how the great Desian Hero meets his end..." Kratos hissed, "I'm disappointed."

"You...I wondered how a mere human could exude such mana..." he glared, "you're Kratos..."

"What of it?" the Seraph huffed.

"Lord Yggdrasill trusted you, but in the end you betray us!" he snarled, then aimed his weapon at Presea. "This is why

humans can never be trusted!"

The blast of mana blew through the air...and Colette took the hit.

"Colette-!"

"No...!" Lloyd choked, getting to his feet. "You...YOU BASTARD!"

Then Lloyd stabbed his sword clear through Forcystus' heart.

"H...heh..." he smirked weakly, "Yggdrasill's age will come...no matter what you attempt...Lloyd..."

The swordsman's eyes widened, as did several others.

"Wh-what did you call-!?" Genis gaped.

Forcystus fell backwards, dead, as Lloyd shook.

"How did...?" he whispered.

Wait...Colette!

"Hey-! Colette, are you-?" he turned.

"I-"

Colette yelped, covering her arm.

"D-don't look! Don't look at me-!!"

But it was too late, they had all seen the crystal like formation on her arm...

"Colette...!" Lloyd cried.

"I SAID DON'T LOOK!!"

She went to move and then passed out.

"C-!?"

"Lloyd!" Raine said. "She's just fainted! We need to send the signal!"

"What-!? Raine, you knew-!?" Zelos stared.

"Colette's...!" Lloyd started.

"The Chosen won't die yet, but if you don't give the signal this world will!" Kratos snapped. "Now do it."

"...Right..." Lloyd whispered.

They gave the signal and then waited, waited for their last hope at the giant tree on the horizon...and then a few seconds

later at the blast of mana which came from nowhere and struck it, a shout ringing out.

"...W...what was that cry...?" Genis whispered.

"Martel, I would assume..." Kratos stated.

"...I wonder...WAIT!" the half-elf jolted. "LLOYD?!"

All attention was back on the red-clad warrior.

"...Uh...um..." he fidgeted, panicking.

"..." Raine sighed, "...well?"

"P-professor you can't just-!" Lloyd stammered.

"Bud!? Is it really you!?" Zelos stared.

Lloyd paled, looking back at forth between Raine and Kratos as if they could give him some sort of answer...

"...I..."

"..." Kratos nodded, Raine doing the same.

Lloyd took a deep breath and slowly attempted to move his hair back up to its normal position, the usually gravity defying

locks did not take back to their original position, but he managed to get it so the blaring resemblance to his younger self

was easily seen before the brunette looked at his friends again.

"...Hi," he said simply.

"...LLOYD!? Wh- wha-?" Genis stammered.

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO YOU!?" Zelos shouted.

"I...I...look, we should be worrying about Colette right now!"

"Yes, he's right..." Raine trailed, "we'll take her to Iselia."

"I-selia? But-!" Genis started.

"Colette's home is in Iselia," Raine stated, "that, and we can't just let the people of from the ranch stay here."

"...Right," Lloyd agreed, his eyes on Colette.

It was then that Yuan's machine appeared.

"The great seed is once again bound in the Holy Ground of Kharlan, for that, you have my gratitude."

Kratos knelt down.

"If the seed is safe, I presume Martel, who's fused with it, is as well?"

"Tch, I'm sure that's good news for you, I wish I could say the same for me."

"Hmph," Kratos snorted.

"I'll tell Sheena to meet up with you at Iselia, thanks again and good luck."

The machine disconnected.

"Let's go," Lloyd said, picking up Colette bridal style.

"Lloyd..." Genis said.

"...I'm...sorry I didn't tell you, Genis," he whispered, face downcast.

"...If you weren't my best friend you'd be charcoal right now, just to let you know."

"Gee, thanks," Lloyd smirked.

"Hey wait a minute! If you're really Lloyd...why did Kratos spew that about you being his brother and crap?!" Zelos accused.

Lloyd and Kratos both flinched, though Kratos more slightly.

"My reasons for choosing to aid Lloyd are none of your concern," he stated stiffly.

"Wait-! Then why does Lloyd look so much like you, now?!" Genis pointed.

They flinched again.

"The captives need to be brought to the village," Kratos stated, "we can discuss this later."

"...I agree," Raine said reluctantly, "let's go."

"But Raine-!"

"Genis! If I hear another word..."

"Okay okay! I'll stop!"

"...Eeeeewwwwwww...!!" Zelos said suddenly.

"Huh? What's wrong?" Lloyd asked.

"My voluptuous hunny, the rosebud, AND the gorgeous beauty had crushes on YOU!?"

"WHAT?!" Raine roared.

"Oh g- wait...this is great! HAH! Sheena's going to be all mine again!"

"W-w-w-w-w-w-..." Lloyd stammered, his eye twitching.

"Presea had a...?" Genis stared at her.

"...No," she stated.

Though mentally, the ax-girl was attempting to fight off a severe case of the willies.

"Are we heading off or not?" Lloyd snapped, still concerned with Colette.

"Right," Regal stepped up, "everyone, please follow us."

So they began the trek back to Iselia...

"Hey...um..."

Lloyd looked at Chocolat, who was walking beside him.

"...You're really-?"

"Yeah,"

"...I'm sorry,"

"...It's okay," he smiled.

"...By mana this is weird,"

"Tell me about it."

* * *

Lloyd stood furthest to the wall, as if trying to merge with to avoid the looks everyone was giving him. It was bad enough

with just his friends, but now Phaidra and Frank were added to the list of people who knew who he was. Raine had

explained his situation shortly after the rest of them told Phaidra and Frank the truth about Cruxis and what had happened.

Lloyd growled to himself a bit... "Why are we sitting around talking? Colette's-"

"Right now the best thing for the Chosen is to rest," Kratos stated simply.

"...Hmph," Lloyd huffed.

"So Lloyd...you said you killed the thing that did this to you, right?" Genis asked.

Lloyd nodded.

"...Then why aren't you...?"

Lloyd looked away.

"...We're...not quite sure there IS a way to reverse it," Raine admitted.

"What?!"

"That's why he didn't want to tell you all..." she frowned, "he didn't want you to know of that until he could find a way to

get back to his normal self..."

"...Kratos?" Genis turned to the Seraph.

"Yes?"

"...You knew it was him, didn't you?"

He nodded.

"...Then why'd you help him lie to us?"

"..."

"I'm more interested with his appearance," Raine stated, "that and the wings..."

"Well isn't that obvious?" Kratos asked.

"Huh?"

"He had a dormant Cruxis Crystal to begin with," he pointed at Lloyd's exsphere, "even before he encountered the creature

it was only a matter of months before it evolved enough incite the angel transformation."

"What-?!" Lloyd stared. "It was a-?!"

"Pray tell, why did you think it was called the 'angelus project'?" Kratos raised an eyebrow.

There was a silence.

"...Well I feel stupid now," Genis said.

"Yeah...feels like we should've seen that coming..." Zelos mused.

"All right then, then explain the previous observation," Raine glared at Kratos, "his resemblance to you."

It was suddenly very quiet. Kratos did not move from his position, nobody seemed to, though Lloyd nervously directed his

gaze at the spiky-haired Seraph who had pasted an expression even more stern than usual onto his stoic features.

"..."

"...You know, I think I'll go look around town, m'kay?" Zelos said, getting to his feet.

"...Yes, let's do that, Genis, come on," Raine said.

"W-what? But-!"

Raine smacked him and the grabbed his wrist, dragging him out the door as he stammered protests. Regal and Presea shot

Lloyd and Kratos another glance before following, and before Lloyd could try to stop them Phaidra and Frank quickly

excused themselves to go upstairs with the descendant. This, of course, left both Kratos and Lloyd alone in the room.

"...Um..." Lloyd trailed, looking around nervously.

Kratos said nothing, though mentally he was panicked.

"Why...DID you help me?" Lloyd asked.

"..."

"And..."

Kratos was almost visibly twitching now.

"...Why DO we look so much alike?"

"...You don't need to know that,"

Lloyd glared.

"Oh?" he spat. "I don't need to know, huh? How about I decide whether or not I need to know that?"

"..." Kratos fidgeted.

"Maybe," Lloyd took a step forward, "let's just say it's been driving me crazy why I happen to have YOUR face. Let's just say

I've been waking up in cold sweat from dreams I've been having that keeps reminding me that you've been helping us even

though you're supposed to be my enemy. Let's just say that I've had it up to HERE, with all the crap you've put me

through lately you son of a-!!"

Lloyd drew a sword.

"Lloyd-" Kratos stated.

"Why?! Why have you been helping me?! Throughout this whole journey and at the Temple! Why did you lie for me after

you lied TO me?! How did you know it was me when you found me in Meltokio?!" Lloyd huffed. "What did Yuan mean when

he said he 'figured as much'?! Why did you help me learn how to do stuff that could help bring Cruxis down?! Why do I

HAVE YOUR FACE?!"

"...I can't tell you," Kratos said.

"Don't give me that, Kratos!!" Lloyd snapped.

The red-clad swordsman sheathed his sword and then grabbed Kratos by the collar, the Seraph didn't react.

"Tell me! Tell me you bastard!!" he roared.

Kratos' eyes were glazed, but otherwise he showed no sign of hearing him.

"KRATOS!"

"..."

"...You...you...!!"

WHAM!

Kratos' head jerked to the side, Lloyd having punched him in the face. The angel didn't react outside the lines of slowly

turning to face him again. Lloyd was red in the face with anger, panting.

"...You wouldn't want to know," he whispered.

"YES I do! What do you think I've been saying-!?"

"You won't like what you hear," the Seraph whispered, "you won't like it at all."

Slowly Lloyd released Kratos, who stood there with a vacant expression on his face.

"...Who are you?" Lloyd asked.

"You've asked that before, are you not satisfied with the answer I gave?"

"...No, no I'm not," Lloyd shook his head, "you're still not telling me something."

They stood there in silence for what felt like eons, Lloyd watching Kratos intently as the Seraph looked away in silence, not

making a motion to either speak or move. Lloyd was begging him to say something, anything, there was something Kratos

knew he had to know, wanted to know, needed to know...

"Um..."

They looked to the stairs.

"Colette-!" Lloyd cried.

The blond looked back and forth between them, then forced a smile.

"H-hi..."

More silence.

"Is it really you, Lloyd!?" she blurted.

"...Uh..y-yeah..." he trailed, "...look, it's a long story but-"

He was cut off when the blond hugged him tightly.

"Wha-?!"

"LLOYD!" she cried. "Lloyd I was-! I was so worried- ! I-! You-! I was so scared that-! I was so scared-!"

"Colette..." Lloyd slowly hugged her back, "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry I didn't..."

"I was so scared you were hurt!!" she wailed.

"..." Kratos looked away.

Several minutes (and an explanation later) they found themselves heading for the front gate. A message was sent to direct

Sheena to Dirk's, where Phaidra had requested they take Colette... Lloyd couldn't stop fidgeting, trying his best to avoid

looking at anyone in the village... That's when he heard the commotion...

"People we thought were elves are actually half-elves?! I bet it was you that lead the Desians to this town!!"

Lloyd raced toward the voice.

"Ll-!" Colette started.

"Wait, let him go, he'll meet up with us," Kratos said.

"...But..."

"I realize you're concerned, but-"

"You're his Dad, aren't you?"

Kratos paled.

"...Excuse me-?"

"You're Lloyd's father, aren't you?" Colette asked.

"...How did-?"

"I'm sorry, but...how you always acted...and then once I figured out 'Lartan' was Lloyd...I just..."

"...I'll ask you not to say anything," he stated, "...I-"

"You don't want him to know because you don't want him to feel bad? ...That won't work, Kratos..." she said, "...Lloyd did

the same thing, but I still worried...and I was so worried I felt sick..."

"..."

"...But I won't tell him...that's your job,"

"...Let's go wait at the gate,"

"...All right..."

However, back with Lloyd he had ran into a delimna of his own. He had shown up just in time to defend Raine and Genis

from the Mayor's racism, however, it had also delivered unto the fat racist another target to point fingers at. After all, word

travels fast in a small village... Lloyd, who was banished, raised by a dwarf, and all of a sudden an adult? Needless to say,

the narrow-minded bigot ripped it to shreds...

"Listen you! That's enough!"

The group stared at Chocolat.

"So Genis and Raine are half-elves, so something fucked up happened to Lloyd and he was raised by a dwarf, so WHAT?!"

"B-but-!"

"I personally don't know or care what happened to Lloyd!" she said. "All I know is he's the guy that saved us, and tried to

save my Grandma just like Genis did! They're all great people!"

"B-but- they're half-elves, and Lloyd is...unnatural! Surely everyone agrees with me!?"

The villagers were silent.

"...Right?!"

"...Lloyd's the strongest in the village," a boy said, "he saved me from monsters once."

"..." Lloyd smiled softly.

"I don't know why he's big now...but that's Lloyd," the boy pointed up at him, "and he was always nice."

"The Professor is scary sometimes...but she can be very nice too," a girl student said.

"And Genis is the smartest one in the village!" another on chimed. "He knows things even you don't!"

"You blame people for their birth and upbringings, things they can not control," Presea said, "for accusing others of it, you

are the one who is not human."

"B-but-! This is all the Chosen's fault anyway! She failed the Regeneration-!"

"She tried her best, and she's not done yet!" Lloyd snapped. "Don't you dare accuse her of all of this when she did so much

and you didn't do a damn thing!"

"But...we are powerless-"

"Even so," a woman said, "we have enough power to welcome the Chosen and her friends home when they are tired and

weak...and we won't let you say a thing about it!"

"Yeah!" the villagers chimed.

Raine ran off.

"Raine-!" Genis called.

"Th-this! This is!" the Mayor blubbered.

"Hey, I said shut it," Chocolat said.

Then the fatty blubbered like a baby and headed for his house.

"Heh," Chocolat smirked, "you guys don't worry about him, go see if Raine's okay."

"Thanks," Lloyd smiled.

"Hey, I owed you one," she smirked.

They found Raine by the remnants of the Sage house. She was okay, apparently, she just was either moved...or well, they

couldn't quite figure it out past that. It didn't matter however...

"So...Lloyd came out of hiding, huh?" she smiled.

"Uh..." Lloyd rubbed the back of his neck.

"That's fine," she smiled, "where's Colette?"

"She's going to meet us at the gate," he said, "um...Phaidra wanted us to take her to...Dad's..."

Silence fell.

"...Oh this is going to be fun," Zelos smirked.

"Shut up, Zelos," Lloyd glared.

"Okay okay! Sorry! Geez..."

"...You really should tell him, Lloyd...he was really worried," Genis said.

"...Yeah," Lloyd nodded sadly.

"You worried all of us," Regal said.

"I...I'm sorry guys..."

"...M'kay! Let's go meet up with the little angel chick!" Zelos smiled.

So it was the group made their way back to Dirk's... Lloyd stopped at the start of the pathway, unwilling to go any further.

Unfortunately, luck wasn't in his favor as his adoptive father was outside.

"Hm? Hello thar-...an' oo's that?" he pointed at Lloyd.

"...Uh-" Lloyd started.

The group parted to allow Dirk a full view, the swordsman yelped and attempted to move but Zelos pushed him forward.

Genis smirked and looked to Dirk.

"Uh...this is kinda hard to explain, but you see...Lloyd kinda picked a fight with some weird monster..."

"Long story short, it turned Lloyd into that," Zelos pointed at Lloyd.

"Uh...um..."

"Lloyd?" Dirk looked up at him, his eyes wide with recognition.

"...Uh..." Lloyd nervously looked around for an escape route, "...Hi Dad?"

"WHY YA DARN STUPID VARMINT-!"

"D-dad-! I can explain-!"

Dirk, though being much shorter because of being a dwarf, still was a dwarf, thus had the standard strength to send

something weighing three times Lloyd's weight flying about twenty feet...which is why Lloyd was suddenly several feet

away on the ground, seeing as Dirk had reached up and nailed him in the gut.

"Oo!" Zelos grimaced.

"Dad-! I'm sorry-! I-! I didn't want-!!" Lloyd stammered.

"D'ya know 'ow worried ah was?!" the dwarf lifted his head up, having gabbed him by the collar. "D'YA KNOW, BOY!?"

"Dad-! I swear I-! I didn't want-! I didn't tell them either-!!"

"YAR A FREAKING IDIOT!!"

"Dad-!!"

Dirk hugged him.

"...D..."

"Ya stupid kid..." he muttered through his beard.

"...I'm sorry, Dad..."

"Heh..." he released him, scratching his nose, "yeah, well...so um...whut happened?"

"Uh..." Lloyd looked down at himself, "...creepy age-changing monster from another world?"

"...Eh?"

"We'll explain," Kratos stated, "first, however, Colette's family has requested your help."

"Mah help?" Dirk looked at Colette. "...I see, come inside."

Lloyd got to his feet, groaning about his gut.

"First aid,"

Lloyd blinked and looked to Raine, expecting she was the one who cast it. She shook her head and gestured to Kratos.

Lloyd frowned...darn it, what was Kratos hiding from him...?

**Hm...I'm rather speedy with this story, nay? **

**Colette: Yep! n.n See? You can be fast with your stories!**

**Me:...I have a story I haven't updated for almost a year.**

**Colette: Um...well...**

**Me: Grr...that's it! I am updating 'Fallen Hero' in twenty four hours or so help me-!!**

**Colette: Oh dear...review? **


	7. Discoveries and Fangirl Attacks

**LUCKY NUMBAH SEVEN! n.n SKLEE!**

**Colette: Um... Freakyanimegal owns nothing?**

**Me: SCREW THE RULES I HAVE MONEY!**

**Colette: ...Um...what?**

**Me: Sorry, I've gotten really into abridged series on youtube..n.n' **

**Colette:...Okay-?**

**Me: Shut up, Mokuba!**

**Colette: Who is Mokuba...?**

**Me: Me loveth Little Kuriboh...X3 Sklee!**

**Colette:...Um...right...enjoy...?**

**Discoveries and Fangirl Attacks**

"That's quite 'o story..." Dirk mused, stroking his beard.

"Yeah...but it doesn't really matter," Lloyd said, "...w-well, okay I guess it does, but right now we need to know what's

wrong with Colette, not me...do you know anything about it?"

The dwarf shook his head.

"Even if Cruxis Crystal are an evolved form 'o exspheres, I still don' know the first thing about 'em," he said, "it'd be a

better idea to ask a dwarf o'er in that Tethe'alla place.."

"Oh..." Lloyd trailed.

"I'm sorry I couldn' be 'o more help...why don' ya all stay here for the night? Rest yerselves, it's the least I can do,"

"I most politely decline," Kratos stated.

With that he turned and left.

"H-hey! Wait-!"

Lloyd followed the Seraph outside, the remnants in the room looking between each other nervously...

"Da Kratos fella..." Dirk said, "...'es older than he looks, ain't he?"

"...Well..." Raine trailed.

"E's Lloyd's real father, ain't he?"

Silence fell again.

"...That's the only explanation I could come up with..." Raine admitted.

"W-what?" Genis stammered.

"Lloyd looks jist like 'em now...even 'afore he did," Dirk stated.

No one could seem to think of what to say to that.

* * *

"Wait! Kratos!" Lloyd stopped him. "Are you really going back to Cruxis?!"

"I am an angel of Cruxis,"

"Then why didn't you heed Yggdrasill's orders, to leave the tree alone?!"

"...I have my reasons, that's all," Kratos stated.

"...Kratos...I..."

Kratos slowly turned to face Lloyd.

"...We're related, aren't we?"

"..." Kratos fidgeted.

"...I...it's just...we look a lot alike...and you've always been looking out for me..." Lloyd muttered, "...it just...makes sense."

"..."

"...Grr...DAMMIT, Kratos! I'm not THAT stupid! I KNOW we're related! Now stop being an ass and tell me, for the last mana-

forsaken time, who the HELL are you!?" Lloyd roared.

"...If you want to save the chosen look up the records of the Kharlan War,"

"Stop changing the subject-!"

"Remember the Unicorn's words at Lake Ulmacy,"

"Kratos-!!"

Lloyd was cut off when a small object was tossed toward him, the red-clad swordsman snatching it up in his hand. It was

round, made of a rather beautiful bronze-like material, it appeared to be a locket...

"Your answer is in there," he stated.

"..."

Slowly Lloyd looked between the angel and the locket...and then slowly opened it. His brown eyes went wide at the picture

that met his gaze, the picture of a woman that felt familiar but he couldn't remember, Kratos at her side, and the two of

them smiling at a little boy that looked exactly like him.

"...Th...this is..." Lloyd trailed.

"..." Kratos looked away.

"You're my-!?"

The Seraph was gone.

"..." Lloyd choked on his last word.

"...Lloyd?" Colette slowly came outside. "...Are you all right?"

Lloyd looked at her, then back at the locket...then snapped it shut and ran into the woods.

"W-what-?! Lloyd-! Lloyd what's wrong!?"

"KRATOS!" Lloyd shouted. "Where did you go-!? Kratos-!!"

There was only a feather left...a blue feather...

"...Damn...mother fucking...bastard..." Lloyd growled, gritting his teeth together, "that...bastard..."

After a minute of cursing Kratos under his breath, slowly he pocketed the feather and headed back, his eyes never once

leaving the picture inside the locket until he returned to his home.

"Oh Lloyd!" Colette cried. "I was worried when you ran off like that!"

Standing beside the blond was a very, very green looking ninja...

"Th-that's-!? He's-!? You mean-!?"

"I just told you, Sheena! Mr. Lartan was really Lloyd!"

"B-but- he- I- so-? He-? I-?" Sheena stammered.

"Uh..." Lloyd trailed.

"...Oh- oh my g-!!"

Sheena turned bright red, then a green tint before she ran over and threw up in the bushes. Zelos, however, found this

entire scenario beyond amusing as he was laughing his rear off.

"AHAHAHAH! Aw, what's wrong, hunny? Did you have a widdle cwushy-wushy on Woydie-Roydie-?"

SMACK!

"OW-! SON OF A-!"

Lloyd, however, was paying almost no attention to this seeing as he had drifted over to his mother's grave, still holding the

locket open in his hand. Kratos was his...? But he couldn't...who was he kidding? Yes he could be, it was obvious, wasn't it?

It was too obvious...

"...I'm a freaking idiot," Lloyd said to the grave in a hushed voice, "...Mom...how did I not get it?"

He shook a bit, his fingers closing tightly over the locket.

"Mom...I..."

His words died in his throat and Lloyd slid onto his knees, clutching the locket tightly as his face went downcast. He was an

idiot...how did he not notice?! How the HELL didn't he get it before now?! His father was right there, the whole time! THE

WHOLE TIME! No wonder he thought his face was nostalgic when he first looked into that mirror in Meltokio! It was Kratos'

face that was nagging at him! Kratos' face-! HIS face-!! Gah! He was such an IDIOT!!

"Lloyd..."

Lloyd turned, anger in his face as he prepared to snap at whoever had approached him... Then stopped when he saw his

adoptive father, Dirk.

"...Didya git yer answer?"

"...Dad..." Lloyd trailed, "..I..."

The dwarf looked at the locket clutched in his hand.

"...Ah, I see..." Dirk said.

"...He's not my father," Lloyd stated.

"...Lloyd, o' course he is, ya look jist-"

"No! He's not my father! You're my father!" Lloyd said. "You're the one who raised me! You're the one who took care of me!

You're the one who loved me! You're my father, not that back-stabbing lying-!"

"Ah, baloney!" Dirk said. "Ya can't honestly believe he don' love ya?!"

"But-!"

Dirk lightly whacked Lloyd upside the head.

"Yar an idiot, boy! He gave ya that locket, didn' he?! The fac' he even kep' it proves he loves ya!"

"...But..."

"...I'm yah father too, o' course, an' I'll always be here ta watch out fer ya sorry hide," he smiled weakly, "but yah can' just

toss yer real Dad outta yer life jist because yer scared to admit what he is."

"..." Lloyd frowned.

Dirk chuckled.

"What? What's so funny?"

"Yer face,"

"...Dad-" Lloyd said blandly.

"No, I mean really!" the dwarf said. "It's weird ta see ya THIKIN' an' all..."

"...Dad..." Lloyd sighed.

"The point is," Dirk said, "...don' shut 'em out of your life jist because yer frustrated, okay?"

"...Okay, Dad..." Lloyd nodded.

Dirk tilted his head to the side.

"...What?"

"Nothin' it's jist...I always imagined whut you'd look like when ya grew up,"

"...Uhm..." Lloyd rubbed the back of his neck.

"Nevermind me, though," he laughed, "...I'll have dinner ready in a bit."

"...D-"

"It'll all work out," the dwarf grinned, "Dwarven Vow Number Ninety-Three?"

"...Everything happens for a reason," Lloyd smiled.

"Good boy!" Dirk laughed.

With that the grinning dwarf walked off back into the house, Lloyd looking after him with a smile on his face. He looked

down at the locket again, his eyes locked on Kratos' smiling face... He had never seen Kratos smile... Slowly his own smile

grew wider. Maybe...if he ever saw Kratos smile, maybe it'd be easier to think of him as his father... After all...from the looks

of it he had gotten his mother's grin, but his smile looked as if it came from someone else...

"...Um...Lloyd?" a voice said.

"Huh? Ah..sorry, Colette, I'm fine," he nodded, "but I'm more worried about you..."

"...Let's rest for the night first, we can think of what to do in the morning...it's been a long day,"

"...All right..." Lloyd nodded.

"...Did...Kratos give you that?" she pointed at the locket.

"...Yeah,"

"...Oh..."

"...Colette, could you do something for me?"

"What? What is it?" she blinked.

Slowly Lloyd showed her the picture, the blond went wide-eyed a bit and then slowly smiled.

"Oh..." she started.

"Who do I smile more like?" Lloyd asked.

"What? Um..." she frowned, looking at the picture, "...wow..."

"Him, huh?" Lloyd sighed.

"W-well-!!" she stammered.

"It's okay," Lloyd smiled, "thanks."

"...Heheheh..." she gigled.

* * *

"Well, here we are..."

"You think Altessa will know what's going on with Colette?" Lloyd asked.

"Well, he's our only shot, right?" Zelos asked.

Lloyd nodded, looking toward the wooden door in the side of the mountain that lead to the dwarf's abode. He sincerely

hoped that he would be able to help Colette, yet he dreaded walking inside. The swordsman had had enough awkward

introductions or re-introductions already... Luckily for him, his friends took notice of this, seeing as they hadn't stopped

staring at him since word got out about the locket Lloyd now hung around his neck. Raine was of course satisfied that she

had been correct in her suspicions, though she worried for her student's emotional state... Sheena, however, wasn't happy

in the least about either revelation, seeing as Zelos kept bringing up the crush she had on 'Lartan' and making jokes about

her ending up as Kratos' daughter-in-law. He, of course, was the only one who found it funny.

"...Hey, you can wait out here if you want," Genis looked up at him.

"Indeed, you've been through enough as it is," Regal nodded.

"...Are you sure that's okay?" Lloyd asked.

"Of course it is," Colette smiled, "we'll be okay, okay?"

"...All right..." he nodded.

His friends nodded and walked inside, leaving the age-confused male to himself. Lloyd sighed and found himself popping

open the locket again, looking at what was once his family... He found himself fidgeting with his hair again, it was bothering

him how it wouldn't get back to its original position, leaving him still resembling his angelic father to some extent. ...He did

look a lot like Kratos now...if he ever got to age normally again, would he still end up looking like this? Lloyd groaned and

rubbed his forehead. He had been trying not to think about his age, but seriously...how could he not? Then again...if he

could turn back anyway...would he really want to-? He flinched. Woah, where had that come from!?

"..." he bit his lip.

Then again...as much as he hated to admit it he was exceptionally stronger like this... He was almost on even terms with

Kratos, wouldn't that help a lot for taking down Cruxis? Yeah...it would... Okay, so maybe this was a good thing for now,

right? Afterward he could change back, once Cruxis had been stopped...provided he found a way to change back at all.

...Wait, what if he couldn't? What would he do after all this if he couldn't? ...He...well, after this he wanted to find and

destroy all the exspheres, so...okay, that'd be fine. It was just after that...his friends...even if they knew it was him now

they still were a little...uncomfortable with it. Hell, he was, but... The swordsman sighed and rubbed his forehead, he could

think about this later...

"Hey, Lloyd!"

He closed the locket and turned his attention to Genis, who had exited the home with the rest of his friends...and a blond

half-elf by the name of Mithos. Lloyd fidgeted, uncomfortable with having to have another awkward re-introduction. Raine

noted this and spoke.

"It's all right," she said, "Mithos said he may be able to help us, we already explained."

"O-oh..." Lloyd laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

"That's really Lloyd?" Mithos asked.

Of course, he knew it, the dual swordsman looked too much like his spiky-haired father to mistake them. The Cruxis

leader's eyes narrowed on the man before him, this could be a problem...

"Altessa believes Colette has something called Chronic Angelus Crystallus Inofficium,"

Lloyd twitched a bit as his teacher made the statement.

"Mithos thinks there should be some stuff in Sybak," Genis stated, "so he's coming along."

"Oh, okay then," Lloyd smiled.

No one seemed to notice the blond's eyes locked on him. ...And what was with that locket? He didn't think Lloyd was the

type for jewelry...well, no matter, it was none of his business about that. The more important matter was making sure the

all too prevalent problem was fixed before he suffered any losses...

So it was about an hour later in Sybak, the group had decided they needed to see the Royal Archives in order to find the

cure for Colette. Nobody mentioned Kratos, seeing as Lloyd had told them he had said to look up the Ancient War in the

first place, but everyone was still rather wary to mention the Seraph's name around Lloyd. Mithos picked up on the tension

though. The manipulator spoke up.

"Hey...why are you all so quiet?" he asked.

"Nothing," Lloyd said, "...it's just someone told us to look up the Ancient War so.."

"...Ah,"

That's it. It had to be Kratos. Wait, no...he couldn't be sure yet, he had to wait until Pronyma caught him in the act, then he

could...exert some energy.

"Well, let's go," Lloyd said, "we're gonna have to go to Meltokio, right?"

"We're outlaws," Raine stated, "we're going to have to find a way in..."

"I'm sure we'll manage something," Zelos said.

"Yeah, okay then...we'll drop Mithos off at Altessa's-"

"No, I can go back on my own,"

"Huh? Are you sure?" Genis asked.

"I'll be fine," Mithos smiled, "take care, I'll see you later."

With that he left. After all...he had business to take care of regarding Lloyd...

"Well...right, let's go!" Lloyd said.

Everyone stopped and looked at him.

"...What?" he asked.

Genis smiled, "Nothing...it's just been a while since you've done that, you know?"

"...Heh heh..." he rubbed the back of his neck, "yeah...I'm sorry."

"That's okay, we understand," Colette smiled.

"...Thanks," Lloyd smiled softly.

Sheena blushed brightly and then groaned. Lloyd, of all people...oh man...

"So off to Meltokio my hunnies!"

Everyone ignored him and walked off.

"Hey!"

* * *

"Wait," Raine said as they neared the gates.

"Huh? What is it?" Lloyd asked.

"Lloyd, you got in here before right?" she asked. "Through the front gates, I assume?"

"Well...yeah," he nodded, "...They didn't recognize me."

"Hm...I see..." Regal stated.

"What? See what?" Lloyd blinked.

"Would you mind going ahead to wait for us at the sewer exit? It wouldn't hurt to have someone keeping an eye out for

guards at the other end," Raine stated, "we didn't have that luxury before."

"I agree, it would be a wise decision," Regal nodded.

"Huh-? Are you sure-?" Lloyd started.

"Oh, what, you think we can't last without you?" Zelos rolled his eyes.

"We'll be okay, Lloyd," Colette smiled.

"...All right," Lloyd nodded, "I'll meet you inside."

The swordsman walked up to the gates and the guards greeted him as he walked by, though he was once again lost in

thought. That had been another thing on his mind, though he had been putting it off seeing as discovering the identity of

his father and Colette's new illness took priority. However...he looked at his exsphere. It was some kind of Cruxis Crystal?

That explained the wings and all...though...why didn't it do the other stuff? Didn't angels have better hearing and stuff? He

didn't think his senses had gotten much better... Then again, with his body changing like it had, maybe it did while he was

sleeping and he didn't notice it? Wait, no, that didn't make sense...did it? Oh well, he had to get to the sewer exit. He

found it relatively quickly and sat on a bench a few feet away from the drains to look around the area with his brown

eyes... There didn't seem to be much anyone around...good. Now all he had to do was wait for the others to get here...

"..." Lloyd sighed, "what a week..."

Unfortunately, he had forgotten one important fact...

He was a celebrity.

"OH! LOOK! LOOK! IT'S LARTAN ALBANE!"

Lloyd dismissed it for a moment before he realized that had been his alias.

"Uh-oh-" he jolted to his feet, looking in the direction it had come from.

"SKYA!"

The brunette would forever wonder how it was that that many women could appear from nowhere and completely

surround a warrior who had survived and defeat many ambusher with the intent to kill. However, intent to kill had nothing

on 'intent to kiss'...or several other things of that nature he was unaware of. The point was, his fanclub was on him.

"Lartaaaaaannn!"

"M-ma'am, I-" he stammered, attempting to back away from one.

"Can I have your autograph!?" another one cried.

"N-no-" Lloyd stammered.

"Can I have a lock of your hair?!"

"What-?!" he stared.

"Hey look! He's got a locket!"

"Ooooh! How sweet! He IS the sensitive type!"

"L-ladies-!" he blushed, attempting to get away.

"Will you go out with me?!"

"I-"

"Can you sign my hat?!"

"Can you sign my-"

"WOAH!" Lloyd shook his head, jolting away. "No! Please-!"

"Aw! He's so cute when he's embarrassed!" a girl clung to his arm.

"H-hey-! Let go-"

"I want to hug Master Lartan too!" another girl took his other arm.

"M-master Lar-?!" he stammered.

"But Master Lartaaaaaaaan!" the women all said in unison, puppy-eying. "We love yooooouuuuu!"

Lloyd's eye twitched.

"Look, I'm sorry but-"

"Lloyd-?!"

Lloyd looked up, seeing his friends had just climbed out of the ground.

"Lloyd?" one woman turned to them. "Who's 'Lloyd'?"

"Um...I mean..." Genis trailed.

Everyone was in a bit of a daze, Colette looked as if she was in her soulless state again, Presea tilted her head to the side

in mild amusement, Regal had an eyebrow raised whereas Sheena scoffed, Raine shook her head and Genis look to be

traumatized. Zelos, of course, was an entirely different matter considering...

"HEY! Woah woah woah!" he said. "Time out! What's the meaning of this?!"

"Oh! It's Master Zelos!" half the women cried.

"It is, but Master Lartan's right here!" one said.

"Master LARTAN!?" Zelos roared, red in the face.

"Uh...Heh...heh...?" Lloyd laughed nervously.

"WHY YOU-!"

"They came to me! Honest!" Lloyd cried. "I didn't-!"

"Shush, Master Lartan! It's all right! We won't let him try to take us from you!"

"But I-!!" Lloyd cried.

"My hunnies!" Zelos cried dramatically. "Don't you LOVE me?!"

There was some silence.

"...Well?!"

"You're hot and all, Master Zelos, but...you're wanted," one woman said.

"Yeah! That and Master Lartan is so much manlier than you!"

Apparently, that did it.

"WHAT?! LLOY-! LARTAN! I'M GOING TO GUT YOU ALIVE!!"

"Zelos I-!!" Lloyd stammered.

"We won't let you hurt Master Lartan!"

"Yeah!"

"But-" Zelos started.

"GET HIM!"

It was then that the group was left alone staring as Zelos ran for his life from a hoard of angered groupies. The rest of

their merry band stood there stunned as the sight went down...before Lloyd snapped to his senses and ran off with the

others in tow, to lose the groupies.

"Shouldn't we be trying to help Zelos?" Colette asked.

"He'll catch up!" Genis said from beside her.

"I hate this city!" Lloyd cried.

So after much running they found themselves in the upper plaza, most of them out of breath.

"...So..." Lloyd coughed, "..um-"

"Lloyd! I can't believe you would do something like that!" Raine huffed.

"But I didn't, honestly! They started after me on their own! Last time I was here they were chasing me through the whole

damn city- ...what?" he stopped, blinking.

See, most of them were glaring at him now.

"..." Sheena twitched, "you're...just as bad as Zelos, aren't you?"

"Huh-?! Hey! It's not my fault!" Lloyd cried.

"It has to be," Raine stated, "Kratos looks a lot like you but we don't see women chasing him."

"That's because he'd kill them," Genis said.

"...He's got a point," Sheena admitted.

"Uh...Guys?" Colette pointed.

Lloyd had gotten depressed at his father's name.

"Uh...a-anyway, we should tell you what happened in the sewers," Colette smiled.

"We avenged Alicia," Presea stated.

"You did?" Lloyd smiled. "That's great!"

"We also found out why the King's been sick," Raine stated, "he's been poisoned by the Pope."

Lloyd gasped.

"The-? How'd I know it had something to do with him?: The scuzball.." he growled.

"We're going to-"

"Hey, look, it's Zelos," Genis said.

They all turned as a beaten and battered red-head crawled up to them, inching his way along as a result of the multitude

of wounds muttering stuff about 'crazed chicks' and 'barely escaping with his life'. Strangely enough, everyone just stood

and watched until he got close to them, managed to lift up his head and glared death at Lloyd.

"I...hate...you..." he choked before plopping his head back on the concrete.

Sheena wouldn't stop laughing.

**XD! ...Really, I like Zelos, honestly.**

**Colette: That was mean! :'(**

**Me: Get used to it, Colette, this is how I roll. XD And yes, I actually do like Zelos, but God forgive me it's too much fun **

**t****o torture him...**

**Colette: Um...review?**


	8. Filler, fillertrauma?

**Hm...**

**Colette: What's wrong? **

**Me: I'm not sure I'll be able to end this in ten chapters like I said...**

**Colette: Oh?**

**Me: Hm...we'll see, it won't be THAT much longer but I dunno about ten...**

**Colette: Oh...okay... Freakyanimegal owns nothing!**

**Me: Enjoy. n.n**

**Filler, filler...trauma...?**

"Grr...I can't find it anywhere!"

With that Lloyd slammed the book shut, dropping it rather forcibly on the floor before pulling out another and scanning its

contents. They had been searching through the archives for HOURS and they hadn't found anything that could cure

Colette... Sure, he supposed he should be thankful Zelos' fast thinking and Colette's wings managed to get their names

cleared...though now most of Meltokio was certain the blond was the 'Return of Spiritua' but whatever... Point was, he

couldn't find whatever it was Kratos had meant... None of these seemed to have anything in them...

"Lloyd..." Colette trailed.

"It's gotta be here somewhere!" he growled, grabbing another book.

"Lloyd...it's okay," she said, "you all can stop."

"What?" Lloyd looked at her. "Colette-"

It was then that the blond tripped, over nothing, yet as usual something good happened as a result of her clumsiness and

a rather archaic looking book fell and almost landed on her head. Lloyd snatched it out of thin air before helping her up with

his free hand, looking at it.

"Huh? I don't think I've seen this one..." Lloyd trailed.

"Lloyd! Let me see that!"

Lloyd stood no chance when Raine came for it, so forked it over and asked Colette if she was okay. The blond assured him

that she was fine when Raine let out an 'ahah!'.

"This is it!" she said.

"What?!" everyone turned to look at her.

"Wow, Colette's clumsiness is truly blessed..." Sheena said.

Colette frowned a bit while Raine read it.

"Hm...apparently it's an infection that causes the body to become a Cruxis Crystal," Raine stated, "the same name as

Altessa's diagnosis. First the epidermis crystallizes...the the organs follow shortly after and then..."

"The subject dies," Colette said.

"..Yes," Raine nodded.

"...Okay, so how do you cure it?" Lloyd asked. "There's gotta be something in there!"

"Calm down...here it is, we need something called a rune crest," she said, "made from...zircon, mana leaf herb, and a mana

fragment, it seems."

"My company handled zircon," Regal stated.

"Mana leaf herb...is probably in Heimdall," Raine stated.

"We'll need permission from the King for that," Sheena said.

"Don't worry about that, I'll take care of it," Zelos smirked.

"That's good, but what about mana fragment?" Lloyd asked.

"...That's...in Derris-Kharlan," Colette said.

Lloyd flinched, suddenly much more aware of the locket against his chest.

"...Well, then we'll just ask Lloyd's daddy to-" Zelos grinned.

He was rewarded with a smack from both Raine and Sheena.

"Th-that's the enemy's base," Lloyd ignored them, "we'll do that last."

"M'kay then, let's get permission from the King and hit Heimdall," Zelos grinned.

"Right," Lloyd nodded, "don't worry Colette, you'll be cured soon."

"...I'm sorry for being so much trouble," she smiled weakly.

Lloyd sighed, making him remarkably like his father.

"Stop saying you're sorry, okay?" he said.

"Oh...okay, I'm sorry,"

They all sighed before heading off.

* * *

Mithos was in a rather...distasteful mood. He had scavenged the room in a haste, trying to find the object he was seeking

so desperately. Grr...he knew he should've put it somewhere else, but after four-thousand years he really didn't think he'd

need it again... The blond huffed, his infamous temper reaching its peak. He better find that damn thing NOW or-

Then something caught his eye.

"...Yes..." he grinned, picking up the object.

Heh heh...that idiot wouldn't be such a threat now...

* * *

"Here you go,"

"Gee, thanks mister!"

The group smiled as the elven child ran off with a Ymir fruit, allowing them entry into the elven village. They had been rather

irked about having to get that fruit. Though then Lloyd brought up the point that instead of using the ridiculously long

method of 'having the animals help', Colette could just fly up and grab the dang thing. Needless to say, the group couldn't

decide that they were more shocked they hadn't thought of it, or because Lloyd had.

"Great," Lloyd smiled, "let's go in."

"Right away oh fearless leader," Zelos said.

"Shut up, Zelos!" Sheena slapped him.

"OW-! What was that for-!?"

It was then that he stopped when he noticed everyone else had, frozen in their tracks as they noted the figure standing in

their path before village gate. Who happened to be Kratos.

"..." Lloyd froze.

"I see you made it this far, at least," the Seraph stated.

"...D- Kratos-" Lloyd stammered.

"The Village Elder can direct you to your goal," Kratos continued, "I'd suggest you hurry."

"W-wait a second!" Lloyd snarled. "Just what are you-?!"

"Well DUH," Zelos rolled his eyes, "he's just being a good daddy and helping his baby-boy out-"

He was silenced by two smacks.

"Time is short, you want to save the Chosen don't you?" Kratos stated.

"...Fine," Lloyd glared, "let's go guys!"

They began to walk forward as Kratos walked past them-

"Wait,"

Lloyd grabbed Kratos' arm, locking eyes with the ancient man.

"..." Kratos looked at him.

"...I'm going to want some answers later, got it?" Lloyd said, not breaking his gaze.

"..." Kratos closed his eyes, "As you wish."

With that he almost fluidly broke away from Lloyd and walked off into the forest, leaving Lloyd watching after him but a

minute before walking to the gate with the rest of his friends, aside from Genis and Raine of course. Several minutes later

they were walking through the Elf Village and into the home of the elder, Lloyd unresponsive seeing as his thoughts were

still on his blue-winged father.

"Excuse us," Regal said, "we have come regarding an important matter."

"Hm-? Kratos-?" the elf said when he spotted Lloyd.

Lloyd jolted violently.

"Ah, no...I apologize, you must be Lloyd, correct?"

"...Y... Yes sir," he nodded, "...I'm sorry, but do you think you could give us some mana leaf herb? A friend of ours is very

sick and she needs it to get better."

"Hm...sick, you say?" the elf frowned.

"Yes sir..." Colette said.

"She has Chronic Angelus Crystallus Innoficium," Presea stated.

The elf jolted.

"That's-! ...I see, that's why Kratos..."

"What? What about Kratos? What did he do?" Lloyd demanded.

"...Take this staff and show it to the gatekeeper in Latheon Gorge, he'll let you enter to find the storyteller who possesses

the herbs," he said, handing the staff to Lloyd.

"But what about-?"

"I have nothing left to say to you humans," the elf said, turning from them.

Lloyd glared a bit before turning and heading out the door with the others in tow.

"...Lloyd? Are you okay?" Colette asked.

"Fine," he said, "now we can get that herb though! We'll have you cured soon!"

"...Yeah," Colette smiled weakly.

So they were off to the gorge. The trip was a bit annoying, but easy enough. Using bubbles and flowers to get from place

to place was rather repetitive and tedious, meaning...

"Gah..." Lloyd sighed.

"Let me guess, you're bored," Genis said.

"I-it's not that! We're just taking too much time!" Lloyd stammered.

"I'm sure it's not much farther," Colette said nervously.

"I hope not..." Lloyd sighed.

"Yeah, I'm so sick of this place!" Zelos whined.

"Holy crap, it's contagious," Sheena said.

They gave her some disgruntled looks before continuing onward. Of course, Colette was right. They found the storyteller's

house and with not much more effort managed to get into the cave that apparently housed the herb. Of course, they were

met by the 'flower'...which attempted to eat them, naturally.

"Gah-!" Zelos leapt aside as a tendril swiped at him.

"FLAME LANCE!" Genis cast, the mana-weapon hurling at the main body.

Lloyd ran for the plantix, weaving in and out of its attacks in an almost rhythmic, dancing pattern, fluidly striking the

monster at random intervals. He was beginning to get used to the effortless way he could evade and assault his enemies,

it made him feel...well, strong. It made him feel agile, fluid, graceful, and of course, deadly. It was...nice.

"Cyclone Seal!" Sheena cried.

The plantix staggered a bit, having been caught in the tornado of paper seals. Lloyd took advantage of this opportunity and

(having been facing its back) ran up along the skeletal spine and then performed a well-aimed 'Rising Falcon', cleaving

through its skull. It let out a roar of pain before bringing what was left of its appendages and went to strike the dual

swordsman. It was over in an instant. Lloyd barely realized he had moved before the arms, roots, and tendrils alike were in

pieces on the ground and then he leapt forward toward the main body...

"HUNTING BEAST!"

The creature was blown back and hit the cave wall before its body shattered into millions of tiny pieces, almost appearing

as dust while the small remnants floated to the floor.

"..." Lloyd blinked.

"...Woah..." Sheena said.

"That was...wow," Genis stared.

"Amazing..." Colette trailed.

"...What?" Lloyd said. "It was just weaker than it looked, is all..."

"Lloyd," Raine glared.

"...What? Why are you looking at me like that?" he fidgeted.

"It took its data with a magic lens," Raine stated, "that was NOT an ordinary monster."

"...So?"

"We're talking it was stronger than Luna and Aska," the half-elf crossed her arms.

Lloyd almost fell over.

"W-what?! Are you kidding me?! We had problems with those two all together! There's no way I could've just done that to

something like that!" Lloyd stammered, shocked.

"Well you did," Zelos said, "I didn't even get to hit it!"

"Hm...interesting..." Raine bit her lip.

"...Why are you looking at me like that...?" Lloyd trailed.

"...What is it you said did this to you again?" Raine bit her lip.

"I told you, I don't know! It was this big...cat...snake thing!" he said.

"You killed it, correct?"

"Yeah! But then its body disappeared..." Lloyd trailed.

"...We're going to have to look into that as soon as we cure Colette," Raine stated.

"Hey, I don't see anything wrong with it," Zelos said, "if he kicks more ass, better for us!"

"I hate to say it, but I agree, how could that be a drawback?" Sheena asked.

"Well...it can't hurt to be sure..." Raine said, "as for now-"

Then she spotted the mana leaf herb...

"MARVELOUS!!"

Then everyone ran to the cave exit as fast as they could.

"What?!" she asked.

After making their way back to the storyteller's home (and tried to escape a lecture by Raine about the Olfe Uprising), they

stopped in to verify if they had in fact retrieved the right plant, and maybe vent a little for not being warned about the

dangerous monster.

"How come you didn't tell us?" Lloyd asked.

"Your actions would not have changed, that, and I know of you..."

Before they could question him the elf lifted a finger and pointed at Lloyd.

"You've been transformed by the Lestuk, the serpentine panther creature that dwells in the shadows..."

Needless to say, THAT got their attention.

"What-?! How did you-!?" Lloyd cried.

"Those who can tell, can tell," he said simply.

"Wait, you know of this creature?" Raine asked. "Has this happened before?"

"A beast that emerges from the shadows, forever seeking an opponent worthy of its time," the elf said, "it is said to be a

demon, manipulating its foes to make them more powerful in order to appease its thirst for battle. Many an adventurer

have fallen at its claws."

"What? I've never heard of such a beast," Regal said.

"Not many have these days, I know of it only by the stories handed down through the generations," the elf smiled weakly,

"I pass down the stories of history, the stories of our world. The Lestuk has not been seen for...several centuries now, I

believe. The opponent then...succumbed."

"You mean he died?" Lloyd asked.

"Yes," he nodded, "the Lestuk has been beaten only once before you."

"...Really?" Lloyd stopped. "...Wow... Wait! Do you know how-?"

"How to return to your original form?" the elf asked. "That I can not say for certain. As I said, only one before you has

defeated the Lestuk, so the details are sketchy."

"Sketchy? Why?" Genis asked.

"It happened over four-thousand years ago, during the time of the Kharlan War, during the time of Mithos,"

"Woah woah woah!" Zelos said suddenly. "Isn't Mithos' name taboo in Heimdall?!"

"This is not Heimdall," the elf said, "I tell the stories and histories free from the customs."

"Just who was Mithos anyway?" Lloyd asked. "We hear his name everywhere, the pacts, the stories, the legends...it even

came up in the way to cure Colette! Now it's even involved with what's happening to me?! If he was so great, why is his

name taboo? Nothing makes sense about that!"

"Mithos was a half-elf, born and raised in Heimdall,"

"Woah woah woah, wait, a half-elf? No way!" Zelos snapped.

"Mithos was indeed a half-elf," he said, "he and his companions ended the war of old."

"Then why is his name taboo?" Colette wondered.

"Because he's a half-elf!" Genis spat.

"No, Mithos' name is taboo because he is a fallen hero,"

"...A fallen...?" Lloyd started.

"Mithos, beloved by Origin, received the Eternal Sword and with its power split the world in two," the elf trailed, "Mithos

Yggdrasill, his older sister Martel, and their companions Yuan and Kratos. They changed the nature of the two worlds, thus

their names are taboo."

Lloyd almost stopped breathing.

"W-wait...you're saying Yggdrasill of Cruxis is...Mithos the Hero?!" Sheena stared.

"What! That's impossible! It's been four-thousand years, no one can live that long!"

"Mithos and his companions used the techniques of the ancient times to halt their metabolism, stopping their internal clock

and thus their aging process," the elf said, "this enabled them to live longer than even us elves."

"...Kratos is..." Lloyd whispered, dumb-struck.

"As you said, the legend of Mithos is connected to the cures for both the girl and yourself," the elf looked at him, "the only

one to ever triumph over the Lestuk was Kratos, the human companion of Mithos Yggdrasill."

"..." the dual-swordsman had frozen, choking on his saliva.

"...Lloyd...?" Presea started.

"I...I need to get out of here, I'm sorry,"

Lloyd ran out of the house.

"Lloyd-!" Colette followed after him.

"...Please," Raine said to the elder, "...do you know of the cure?"

"...Due to the legends there existed an ore of similar components of aionis," the elf said, "all that is known is that the ore

was combined with magic of some kind."

"...I see, thank you," Raine nodded, turning to leave.

Outside, Lloyd was once again clutching the locket around his neck, trying to digest the information. Mithos the Hero was

Yggdrasill? Martel was his sister? Yuan and Kratos...his father, were over four-thousand years old? That and...wait...if

Kratos had defeated the thing that did this to him...did that mean he had had his age mangled too? Is that how he knew it

was him...? Then again, with what Yuan said and how Kratos acted... Yes, it was more than likely. ...So...Kratos knew about

it the whole time...he knew everything... He found himself fingering the feather in his pocket, wondering to himself...

"Lloyd?"

He looked up, Colette and the others were looking at him.

"...Are you okay?" she asked.

"...Y-yeah," Lloyd said, "...look, I'll be fine...right now we have to get you cured first."

"...But Lloyd-" she started.

"Lloyd's right, let's get moving," Raine stated, "we can't spend any more time lolly-gagging. Besides...the sooner we cure

you, the sooner we can get Lloyd back to normal."

"What?" they looked at her.

"There's a way to-?" Lloyd started.

Raine nodded.

"Yes, according to the storyteller," she said, "I'm sure that once we run into Kratos again he can..."

She stopped when she noticed Lloyd clutching the locket.

"Nevermind, let's go,"

Lloyd nodded.

"All right...zircon next, right?"

"Yes," Regal stated, "as I said, my company handled the substance. We should be able to see where the last shipment

went to if we view the archives in Altimira."

"WOOT! ALTIMIRA!" Zelos grinned.

"Zelos, we're not going there to play around!" Sheena said.

"Aw..." the red-head moped.

"We should get moving," Presea said.

"Right," Lloyd said.

He turned and headed down the gorge once more, his thoughts still on his enigmatic father... Heh...he must have sounded

so stupid, so many times... When he called him his brother during the journey, when he told him that he didn't understand

what he was going through...everything he said and did, almost, probably made him look like a fool in his father's eyes... He

sighed and began fingering the feather again, hoping no one would notice.

"Motherfucker..." Lloyd muttered under his breath, blaming Kratos for his predicament.

"Hey, wait," Zelos said.

"What?" Lloyd looked at him.

Uh-oh, had he heard him...?

"Y'know, I just thought of something," a grin grew on Zelos' face.

Lloyd didn't like that grin...

"...What?" Lloyd asked somewhat reluctantly.

"Know what's funny? Bud always called Kratos a bastard, so he was pretty much dissing himself when he was saying his

grandparents weren't married!" the chosen beamed, ecstatic.

Silence fell like a hammer.

"Z-zelos-!" Lloyd stammered.

"You know what's funnier?!" Zelos grinned. "Since you just said it, Lloyd...you really should be quieter, by the way. You

were talking about Kratos when you said 'motherfucker', right? The irony of that, Bud, is that he DID fuck your mother-!"

Lloyd punched Zelos in the face.

"OW-! SON OF A-!!"

"Don't talk about my parents again!!" Lloyd roared.

"What?! It's true-! OW! NOT THE FACE-!!"

And so, after Lloyd beat an apology out of Zelos (and the others tried to suppress their snickers or disgust at the situation),

they finally made their way to Altimira. The records were found without much trouble, though once Kuchinawa threatened to

make off with it there was a bit of a problem... Luckily, it was resolved at the price of Sheena's bell, and her promise to fight

along with it. Lloyd and the others didn't like it, but they respected that that was what Sheena wanted to do. The zircon

was found not long after, and though Lloyd wanted to head to their destination (Sybak) immediately, it had gotten late...

"We don't have time for this..." Lloyd groaned, antsy.

"We can't fly at night, you know that," Genis said.

"But...but still..." Lloyd bit his lip.

Genis froze.

"...What?" Lloyd asked.

"I'm sorry, but when you do that..." Genis twitched a bit.

"Let me guess, I look like Kratos?" Lloyd sighed.

"W-wha-? N-!"

Lloyd raised an eyebrow.

"...Okay, you do, but..." the half-elf fidgeted.

"It's okay," Lloyd sighed.

"We'll be staying on the fifth floor," Regal stated, having been the one leading them into his hotel, "it's large, so it should

be able to accommodate all of us comfortably."

Of course, it lived up to what Regal said and more. The place wasn't a room, it was a practical house, a luxurious house at

that. Beds were claimed before dinner was brought up...and after Raine volunteered to cook room service was instantly

called (needless to say, Raine was rather offended). So they had begun to settle to bed when Zelos spoke up...

"Hey, Bud," Zelos said.

"Hm?" Lloyd looked at him.

"Mind if I talk to you for a second?"

"Uh...sure..."

Zelos motioned for Lloyd to follow him outside the room, where the dual swordsman followed before the pink-clad male

turned to him with a wide, mischievous grin. Lloyd fidgeted.

"...What?" he asked.

"I was just thinking bud...you're technically over twenty-one now, right?"

"Yeah...?" he trailed, not liking where this was going.

"...Come on," Zelos headed for the elevator.

"Huh?" Lloyd blinked.

"There are some things a man can't enjoy until he's twenty-one, fun things," Zelos smirked, "and bud, since you are so

hopelessly oblivious to all the fun you can have, I, the Great Zelos Wilder, am taking it upon myself to educate you."

"...I don't-"

"Okay, fine, be a stick in the mud, I'll go by myself," the chosen shrugged.

Now, Lloyd may have been oblivious, he may have been mentally still a kid, really, but he was (even regardless of his

current body) a young man near adulthood that had certain...curiosities.

"Well..." Lloyd trailed.

"It won't hurt, right?" Zelos smirked. "No one will know, right?"

"...I..."

"And you're over twenty-one now, right?" he winked.

"...Sort of-"

"See? So what's wrong with it? We'll be back before they even know it!"

"...All right," Lloyd said, glancing around a bit nervously.

"There we go! Come on! Two buds on a wild night on the town! WOOT!"

Lloyd sighed and followed after Zelos, wondering just what it was he had signed up for. The two males walked out into the

night-life of Altimira, and before long had made it to the...'adult' playground of the place. The Casinos, Bars, and...'Pleasure'

places... Lloyd suddenly felt much younger than he actually was, having been the simple farm-kid he was. Zelos, however,

was right at home and instantly snagged a couple of groupies for himself.

"Hello, ladies," he smiled charmingly.

"Oooh! Hello!"

"Hi, Zelos!" another smirked seductively.

"...How do I get the feeling you've been here before?" Lloyd frowned.

"Oh? Zelos, who's your friend?" a rather hookerish women asked.

"This is my bud, Lloyd," he said, "he's...well, he hasn't had much 'experience', you know..."

Lloyd was at this point sincerely wondering if he should go back.

"Oh?" a busty woman purred.

The woman and another scantily dressed female clung to either of Lloyd's arms, the brunette shooting bright red with shock

and embarrassment as they made no effort to hide their...proportions. Lloyd stammered, unable to think. Oh no, what the

hell was he doing here?! He didn't want to be like Zelos! And- and- just NO! This was wrong! ...Okay, he liked the hot girls,

but he didn't want them TOUCHING him-! The only girl he could ever be okay with doing that would be Colette- but- but

even that was only-! Not-!

"Aw, he's embarrassed," one cooed.

"We'll fix that..." another grinned.

"Z-zelos-!" Lloyd stammered.

"Sorry bud!" Zelos waved, walking off with some women. "You're on your own!"

"Z-zelos-!!" he cried, red in the face.

"Come on, cutie, don't be shy," a woman giggled, trying to lead him off.

"W-what-!? N-no-! I don't-! I can't-!"

"What, is he gay?" one asked.

"Oh man! All the hot ones are!" another whined.

"WHAT?! I'm not gay-!!" Lloyd protested.

"Then come on," one giggled.

"Yeah, hottie, we'll let you have one free since it's your first time..."

"One?" Lloyd froze. "What do you...?"

The girls smirked at him.

"..." his eye twitched.

That did it.

"GET ME THE HELL OUT OF HERE-!!" he cried, attempting to escape.

"Wait! Come back!"

"You'll like it!"

"We don't have STDS! Really!"

If they were hoping that would make him turn around, they were solely mistaken, seeing as it only made him run faster for

the tram. He was never listening to Zelos again, ever, hell, he wasn't going out after dark again! He knew Zelos

was...um...flirty, but for the love of mana! This was just wrong! Oh geez... he was never going to listen to Zelos again,

never never never never never never-

"Well, don't you look traumatized,"

He flinched, coming to a halt. Wait...that voice sounded like...?

"YUAN!?"

The long-haired half-elf was looking at him as if resisting the urge to laugh...he also had a woman on each arm. Lloyd

twitched some more as Yuan slid from their arms and walked forward.

"...Wh...what the hell are you...?" Lloyd twitched.

"This? Oh...that's nothing," he coughed, "ladies, I'm going to have to say farewell."

"Oh, really?" one whined.

"But it's so early!" the other said.

"I know, my dears," Yuan said suavely, "don't fret, I'll be back for you."

"All right, Yuie!"

"Whatever you say!"

With that they pranced off, but not before blowing kisses to the blue-head. Yuan smirked and turned to Lloyd, who was

gaping at him like an idiot with his right eyelid twitching periodically.

"The Tethe'allan Chosen took you out, hm?" he smirked.

"...Wh...what the HELL was that?!"

"Oh please," Yuan rolled his eyes, "Seraph I may be, I am still a man."

"...So you go with hookers?" Lloyd said blandly.

"Hookers?" Yuan mocked offense. "They're...escorts."

"They're hos," Lloyd said.

"Well, it's all the same really," Yuan shrugged.

"...I thought you were..." Lloyd trailed, "...I don't know..."

"Mature? I'm not the one who ran away..." he smirked.

Lloyd glared.

"Heh...so Kratos told you, huh?"

"W-what? How did you-?" Lloyd stammered.

"You're wearing his locket, genius, not that hard to figure out," he pointed.

"...Oh..." he trailed.

"...Heh," Yuan chuckled a bit.

"What's so funny?" Lloyd glared.

"...Kratos was rather uncomfortable the first time I took him out too," Yuan smirked, "damn bastard...the ladies flocked to

him and he didn't want to tap any of them...though I managed to snag a couple where he left off but-..."

Lloyd seriously looked to be in a catatonic state at this point.

"...Never mind," he sighed.

"Sh-shouldn't you be doing something or something!?" Lloyd snapped. "Being a double-agent should have you...I don't

know, busy or something, right?"

"True, but these...escapades, are the only reason I haven't cracked yet," Yuan admitted.

"...Yuan..."

"Yes?"

"...Are you all really four-thousand years old?"

This apparently took him by surprise.

"...You figured that out, hm?" Yuan said, acting more like his usual stern self.

"...Yeah," Lloyd nodded, "...what happened to me...happened to D-...Kratos, before, didn't it?"

"...Heh, you did learn a lot," Yuan smirked dryly, "...yes, Kratos had his age mangled too."

"...When? Or...how? Why?" Lloyd asked.

"..." Yuan sighed, "...if you really want to know, I can summarize it-"

"Yes I want to know!" Lloyd said.

"..Fine," Yuan sighed, "...well...Kratos and I were rather...adventurous, when we were around your age- as in, your real

age, but you get the picture. So that often ended us in trouble..."

"Yeah?" Lloyd prodded, eager to hear more.

"...In particular there was this abandoned factory of sorts we were told never to go by," he continued, "apparently it was

haunted, cursed, dangerous, etcetera, etcetera, so...one day we were bored...and we went in."

Lloyd stared.

"What?" Yuan asked icily.

"I was trying to imagine you young..."

Yuan's eye twitched.

"Do you want me to tell you or not?"

"Y-yeah! I'm sorry! Okay? Just tell me!" Lloyd stammered out.

"...We went in and got separated..." Yuan continued, "...I found him unconscious a while after that..."

"And when he woke up...he was..." Lloyd frowned.

"Exactly," Yuan said, "he managed to defeat it and get back to normal and all, though it popped up again several years

later...and that's another story."

"That's it?" Lloyd said, disappointed.

"Yes," Yuan said, "now, if you'll excuse me...I think I'll have a drink or two before I head back to my base, if you don't

mind...unless you care to join me?"

Lloyd twitched and the half-elf laughed out loud.

"You're just as humorless as Kratos sometimes, honestly," he smirked, "well then...I'll be off..."

Lloyd sighed and headed back for the inn, not noticing that Yuan had not headed for the bar but into an alley way where

Zelos leaned against a wall, his eyes meeting Yuan's sternly.

"So?" he asked. "I lured him out and all, aren't you going to capture him?"

"In time," Yuan stated, "...from his mana signature, I can tell capturing him now would be risky...he'll have to be suppressed

somehow before I can get him."

"Bah, you just got scared," Zelos rolled his eyes.

"You'd do well to hold your tongue, Chosen," Yuan glared.

"Yeah yeah, whatever..."

There was a minute of silence.

"...Well...since we're here and all..." Zelos trailed.

Yuan raised an eyebrow.

"Have you ever been to 'Miss Pussies'?" he grinned evilly.

"...Can't say I have," Yuan stated coldly.

"Oh? Shame...they got some...'exotic' ones there," Zelos conitnued.

Yuan remained silent.

"Nice ones...they're all clean too," he smirked, "that and there's a lot of...good stuff."

"...Tch," Yuan spat.

"I'm a regular there, me and a buddy could get in free..."

"...So?" Yuan glared.

"...Just saying..." Zelos shrugged, smirking.

There was a moment of silence.

"...Show me the way," Yuan said.

"That's what I'm talking about!" Zelos cackled, leading the Seraph off.

**...Forgive me, but I can totally see Yuan as the type to do that.**

**...**

**Oh yeah, I locked Colette in the closet so she wouldn't be traumatized by this chapter...**

**(Unlocks door)**

**Colette: Yay! I'm out! n.n What'd I miss?**

**Me:...Oh...nothing much...(shifty eyes)**

**Colette: Oh...okay, review! n.n**

**Me: Virtual cookie to anyone who can find and identify the cameo word in here! n.n**


	9. Material Fragments

**Well, it's definitely not going to be only ten chapters...--' I had another...idea, for this. Though it will still be short **

**compared to my usual stories which are...epic, you could say.**

**Colette: Freakyanimegal owns nothing! n.n**

**Me: By the way, I must explain something... Yuan was with the women, got Zelos to take Lloyd to the women, etc, as **

**an excuse to get Lloyd away and also to throw him off guard. Just to clear that up. ...Though he did go with Zelos of his **

**own will at the end there...n.n'...**

**Colette: Huh? Women? There?**

**Me: Uh...ehehehe...enjoy the chapter! ...I know I will...X3**

**Colette: Uh-oh...**

**Material Fragments**

"W-what the...?"

Lloyd gaped at the interior to the Tower of Salvation, as did the rest of the group. The zircon had been retrieved without

much effort, and after confronting Zelos' kid sister they had managed to get Zelos' Cruxis Crystal to open the door... They

had entered with a tinge of curiosity only to find that the inner chamber was the exact same place they had seen

before...not just as in looks, it turned out.

"This...this is the same place...!" Colette quivered violently.

"But that's impossible..." Lloyd whispered.

"Lloyd, do you remember this?"

"Huh-?"

His eyes widened at the sight of the pillar he himself had broken in Sylvarant.

"W-what-?! Wait! I broke that!" he cried.

"This...is really the same place?!" Genis cried.

"Well of course," a voice said.

The group to see the Cruxis-clad Kratos Aurion materialize on the warp panel, his eyes locked on Lloyd. Everyone turned to

look at the Seraph as he continued his explanation.

"The Tower is the pole that connects the worlds, naturally, it's the same place,"

"You're really Mithos' companion from four-thousand years ago?" Lloyd asked.

Kratos flinched slightly before a smirk graced his lips.

"Good, you've figured it out, that saves me the trouble of explaining,"

"You knew about the 'Lestuk' thing too, didn't you?" Lloyd glared, stepping froward. "You went through the same thing I

did, and you got back to normal."

This, however, appeared to take Kratos by mild surprise.

"...Yes," he admitted, not point in lying, "it is true."

"...I-" Lloyd started.

It was then that something unsavory happened. The group let out a mix of yelps and gasps as a burst of light mana

materialized Mithos Yggdrasill into the seed chamber. Kratos' eyes widened. What the hell was he doing here? He wasn't

supposed to be down here!

"Oh, hello, Kratos," Yggdrasill smirked, "I see you've greeted them, hm?"

"...Lord Yggdrasill-" Kratos started.

"Don't worry, you can take care of them..."

The blond moved his open palm to face Lloyd.

"As soon as I take care of that one," he hissed.

There wasn't any time for anyone to say anything. Yggdrasill blasted a ball of mana toward Lloyd, though it was tinted a

blue shade and a small fragment of something solid was in its core. The group all went wide-eyed and found themselves

trying to move and talk, but they reacted too slowly to make any difference at the object flying a straight shot toward Lloyd,

they all were far too slow to do anything.

Well...most of them.

"What-?!" Mithos hissed, a growl in his voice.

"D-!? KRATOS-!!"

Kratos had warped himself in front of Lloyd, taking the blast to his back. Lloyd caught him before the Seraph fell forward, his

eyes half-closed as the large wound on his back seemed to hiss, the material that had traveled within the mana dissolving

into the blood seeping from his spine. Kratos managed to look up and lock eyes with his son, his head swaying.

"Are you all right?" he muttered.

Lloyd could only nod, stunned.

"...Good," Kratos smiled, passing out.

"Wha-?! D-!! Yggdrasill you bastard-!!" Lloyd cried.

"Tch, I hadn't planned for THAT," the blond hissed, snapping his fingers.

A horde of angels appeared, surrounding the lot of them while they were off-guard.

"Take them away," Mithos hissed, glaring at Kratos' limp form, "ALL of them."

In a matter of minutes they were in cells on Derris-Kharlan, the girls in one and the males in the other...including an

unconscious Seraph. Lloyd knelt down at his father's side, a frown on his face... He had managed to force Zelos into using

some healing spells on the ancient angel, which stopped the bleeding and healed the wound to some extent, yet obviously

wasn't enough to rouse the Aurion. Lloyd looked at him a minute more before groaning and for what had to be the third

time attempted to pick the lock.

"Damn it...I can't open it!" he cried.

"Same here!" Sheena's voice called.

"What about Colette or Presea?"

"No..." Colette's voice said in shame.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help..." Presea trailed.

"Grr...dammit!" Lloyd snapped. "We can't just sit here!!"

"...Move," Regal said.

"Huh?"

They moved aside...then Regal throughly blasted the walls open.

"WOAH-!!" Lloyd gasped.

"...Okay, now that was badass," Zelos said.

"Come, we must release the ladies," Regal walked forward.

"R-right!" Genis said.

"Right...hold on a second," Lloyd said.

The dual swordsman walked back over to Kratos. Lloyd frowned and went to try to wake him when he noticed something...

Kratos wasn't unconscious, he was ACTUALLY asleep...

"What the...? HEY! Wake up!" Lloyd shook him.

The spike-haired male didn't stir.

"Bud,why are you bothering with him? I mean, he's our enemy even if he is-"

"Shut up, Zelos!" Genis said.

"Wha-?! Oh twerp, you did NOT just tell me to shut up!"

Lloyd ignored them, more focused on the peculiarity of the situation. He got hit with an attack that made him...sleep? Oh

well, it didn't matter, they needed to get out of there... Lloyd sighed and went to lift Kratos up, he'd have to carry him...he

sure wasn't leaving him here-

"I can walk,"

Lloyd flinched, having already lifted Kratos' half off the ground. The Seraph's red-brown eyes were locked on

him...though...they looked rather misted, not at all as keen as normally.

"...Like hell you can," Lloyd frowned, "you're barely awake!"

"..." Kratos snorted weakly.

"...Okay, fine,"

Lloyd slowly situated Kratos' arm around his shoulders, helping the drowsy Seraph to walk out of the cell where the others

waited (the remaining males had set the girls free). It was a rather unusual (not to mention comical) sight to see Kratos

supported by his son, but...

"...And why did he throw you in there?" Raine asked suspiciously.

"Hmph, it could be because I took the hit..." Kratos muttered.

"Guys, please, leave him alone," Lloyd said, "...I mean...you know."

They fell silent for a moment.

"...You have no time for this," Kratos stated, "you need to leave quickly as possible."

"Don't you mean 'we'?" Lloyd said.

Kratos shook his head.

"I'll slow you down, you'll have to leave me," the Seraph stated.

Lloyd glared.

"No way in hell, Professor, can you look at his back?"

His father went to protest but Lloyd interrupted.

"I'm not leaving him, so we should heal him," Lloyd said in a tone of finality.

The rest of the group hesitated a minute before Raine walked forward, Lloyd setting Kratos so he could sit on the ground

while the half-elf drew her attention to his wound.

"...HEALING CIRCLE!"

Kratos let out a soft sigh of relief as the spell surrounded him in a warm blue glow before fading, Raine standing up once

more with a look of concern and curiosity on her face.

"That was a strange wound..." she muttered.

"It doesn't matter," Kratos said, getting to his feet, "...you need to move quickly."

"Again with this!?" Lloyd growled. "Look, you're coming with us, got it?"

The temperature dropped about ten degrees as the Aurions glared at each other.

"...Fine," Kratos said coldly, "then I suggest we make haste."

With that he walked off.

"Hey-! Wait!" Lloyd followed.

As always, they followed the leader, though on the way they had to ask...

"...Hey, Regal, how did you do that anyway?" Lloyd asked.

"Do what?"

"That...thing, where you blasted the wall and stuff!" Genis said.

"I originally specialized in fighting with my hands, and since exspheres magnify the user's abilities far beyond normal limits,

it is to be expected," he stated.

"Cut the chatter," Kratos said, "if we want any chance of curing the Chosen and getting out of here alive, we need to move

as quickly as possible."

"Well soooooorrry, your highness," Zelos rolled his eyes.

The Seraph snorted.

"We'll also need to get-" Kratos started.

Suddenly, his knees gave out and the man fell onto the floor once again. There were assorted yelps as Lloyd ran over to his

side, attempting to ask if his father was all right...which he obviously wasn't, yet...

"I'm fine," he said harshly, getting to his feet, "let's go, now."

Then he hurried forward without another word, Lloyd's brown eyes narrowing at his father's retreating back. Not more than

a minute later they had found themselves in the 'holy' city of Welgaia. Lloyd and the others were both shocked and

unnerved by the spectacle of lifeless winged dolls, but Kratos snapped them out of it when he spoke again.

"The storage unit is over there," he pointed, "they'll have mana fragments."

"So what do we do? Just go in and ask for one?" Lloyd bit his lip. "Won't they all attack us-?"

"Highly unlikely," Kratos snorted, "the angels have very short memory-spans, it takes at least a couple hours for a

permanent command to be issued. In other words, they won't know or remember we're fugitives for a while. So yes, in fact,

we do just go in and ask. Follow me."

Once again they followed him, somewhat anxiously at first until they found that Kratos was right. The angels paid them

absolutely no mind.

"You there," Kratos said, speaking to an angel in the storage unit.

"Lord Kratos," it bowed.

"Wow, they really aren't that smart..." Genis frowned.

"...It's...kind of scary..." Colette whimpered.

Lloyd nodded, though said nothing.

"I need a fragment of mana," Kratos stated, "now."

The angel bowed its head and flew up to a shelf, returning back down with the fragment.

"As you requested, my Lord,"

"Good,"

Kratos turned to them, nodded and headed for the door. Not wanting to be left with the soulless being, the others

followed. After all, if they weren't with him who knows if they would be attacked or not. Once outside Kratos handed the

material to Lloyd, who in turn gave it to the Professor to examine a moment before pocketing it.

"Right, that went well, now how do we get out of here?" Sheena asked.

"But what about Lloyd-?" Colette started.

"The material needed to return Lloyd to normal is not something we can get at the moment," Kratos stated, "as I said, we

have no time, we should head for the rear transporter-"

For the third time, Kratos collapsed.

"D-!" Lloyd caught himself. "D..dammit! Stop doing that already-!!"

Once again he went to his father's side to find he was...sleeping? Again?

"That's strange," Raine frowned, "I was sure I healed him- is he asleep?"

Lloyd nodded slowly as the rest of the group looked either confused, or angered.

"ASLEEP!? How the heck can he fall asleep of all times-?!" Sheena cried.

"Strange..." Presea said simply.

"...Grr...that's it," Lloyd frowned, "let's head for the transporter and get out of here."

"You're right," Raine nodded, "we have what we came here for."

"So who's carrying Kratos?" Zelos asked.

"NOSE GAME!" Genis shouted.

"What?"

Everyone touched their nose with the exception of Zelos. They stared.

"What the fuck is the 'nose game'?" he asked.

"...Last one to touch their nose has to do it," Genis said, as if this was obvious.

"Oooh- Hey! I'm not carrying him-!"

"You couldn't anyway," Sheena said.

"WHAT?! Sheeeeennaaaaaaa-!"

"Oh enough already! I've got him, let's go!" Lloyd said, scooping the unresponsive Kratos into his arms.

There was a moment of silence.

"...I'm sorry, do you know how weird that looks?" Sheena said.

"Yeah..." Genis twitched a bit.

Lloyd's eye twitched as he shot bright, a mix between annoyed and embarrassed.

"C-come on! Let's go!" he said again, heading for the transporter...

* * *

"Lord Yggdrasill,"

"What is it?" Mithos snapped at the lifeless puppet.

"Lord Kratos and the prisoners have escaped, milord,"

"WHAT?!"

"We are pursuing," it stated.

"Good-..wait..." Mithos stopped, frowning, "...call them off."

"Milord?"

"You heard me, let them go,"

"As you wish,"

The angel floated out, not questioning his master's wishes as he was programmed to do. Yggdrasill himself smirked, a

wicked glint in his eyes. Not wasting any time, he switched to his younger form and headed back to the surface...

* * *

It was not easy getting down the lengthy tower, especially with Lloyd having to carry his father down it. Though like all the

hardships they faced they managed to get through it. Once they were near the bottom, however, Raine began to voice

what was on many minds...

"Why haven't they pursued us...?" Raine bit her lip.

"Yeah...you'd think that ol' Yggie would have sent some goons after us by now," Zelos said.

"Well, we don't have any other choice but to go down anyway," Lloyd said.

"True..." Genis said.

"Hey look!" Sheena said. "There's a warp panel!"

"Oh good," Colette chirped, "this place is rather..."

"Unpleasant?" Regal supplied.

Colette bit her lip and nodded slightly as they filed toward the panel, appearing in the Tower Altar once more.

"We really need to get out of here," Lloyd said, "I'm getting nervous nothing's happened."

"Amen to that," Zelos said, "Let's get out and rest. Once your old man wakes up we're gonna need all our energy to milk

him for information, am I right?"

"I agree," Raine glanced at the limp Seraph, "he'll be a vital information source."

Lloyd fidgeted a bit, not liking how they kept referring to his father. He looked down at the ancient man and then something

tweaked. Wait...something was wrong, he couldn' tell what it was but something seemed off with the stoic man...

"All right, now that we've got everything let's go to Altessa's," Raine said.

"Right behind you," Lloyd nodded.

As they left Lloyd couldn't help but note the pulsating purple sword that stuck into the ground... For some reason, no one

seemed to notice it though...huh, that was weird... Did they really think it didn't look important? Oh well... Right now the

only thing that mattered was getting Colette cured and his father someplace to rest.

* * *

Several minutes later they had all but landed when Colette took a few steps and collapsed.

"Colette-!!" Lloyd cried.

"It's the crystallusis!" Raine cried. "Hurry! We need to get her inside!"

The next few moments were a blur of panic, tension, and fear. Colette was laid inside and Raine and Altessa began to craft

the rune crest for the unfortunate blond whom lay on one of the beds in the back. Kratos slept in the one next to her,

freakishly calm looking in contrast to the panic that had engulfed the rest of the group. Lloyd had wanted to stay in the

room with his child-hood crush and his father, but was forced to wait in the main room with the others seeing as he simply

got in the way of Raine and Altessa's work.

"...I hope they're okay..." Lloyd muttered, his face furrowed.

"Oh they'll be fine," Zelos smiled, "why don't you eat something in the meantime?"

"I can't eat at a time like this!" Lloyd scoffed.

"Oh come on, bud! Don't be like that! How about some carrots? Or a potato?"

From across the room Mithos watched silently as the philanderer attempted to get Lloyd to eat something. Hm, that was

odd...oh well, whatever that double-crosser was up to didn't matter at the moment... His blue eyes narrowed dangerously

on Lloyd. Once the Chosen was cured, he'd be the biggest obstacle to take her away. With Kratos...as he was, the only

problem he had at the moment was getting that damned son of his out of the way...

"Hey, Mithos?"

"Hm?"

The blond looked to the side, Genis was looking at him...

"What is it?" he asked pleasantly.

"You look a little...preoccupied," the younger half-elf said, "are you okay?"

"What? I'm fine," he smiled, "thank you for worrying about me."

Then again...

"Are you sure?" Genis asked.

"...I was just thinking, about Lloyd..." Mithos trailed, "you haven't found a way to put him back?"

A frown came over the silver-head's face.

"Well...there is a way, but we haven't been able to do it..."

"Oh...I see," Mithos said, "say...Genis."

"Yeah?" the boy asked.

"...Look, what if I told you I might know something that could get him back to normal?"

"R-really-!?"

"Shh! Keep it down!" Mithos hissed under his breath.

Genis shut his mouth and nodded, eyes on his 'friend'. Mithos motioned for Genis to follow and they discreetly slipped

outside the home before the blond spoke up once more.

"...After we went to Sybak that one time I...kinda didn't go straight back," Mithos said, "...I got this."

Mithos held a small fragment of some sort of green material between his fingers.

"I found it in one of the labs and managed to get some," Mithos lied, "it's called _furkiul_."

"Furkiul? What does it do...?" Genis trailed, though he had a suspicion.

"It'll turn Lloyd back to normal," Mithos said, "I didn't say anything because there's a bit of a problem..."

"What is it?" Genis asked.

"See...it can only work if it enters the body in a rather...painful way, or..."

"Or?" Genis frowned.

Mithos mentally smirked. The kid was playing right into his hands.

"If you slip it into something he eats then it'll work too," Mithos said, "the thing is, he can't know it. If he knows it's there

he'll get tense, and if he's tense at all it won't work, something bad could happen."

"Really...?" Genis frowned, looking at the little stone.

"Yeah, so to get him back to normal you're gonna have to slip it into his dinner."

"Hm...are you sure?" Genis frowned.

"Genis, you think I'd lie?!" Mithos mocked shock.

"N-no! I just...I want to ask Raine about if first, okay?"

Damn it. If he pressed any further he'd get suspicious...

"Oh...all right, I understand," Mithos nodded, "I'll hang onto it then."

Fine then, he'd just slip it in himself...he'd have preferred tricking someone else into doing it, just in case it was traced back,

but it wouldn't matter soon anyway...

"Let's go in," Genis said, "once Raine's done I'll ask her."

"No, let's wait until tomorrow," Mithos said, "it's been a long day for you, hasn't it? Aren't you tired?"

"Well...yeah," Genis admitted, "okay."

Perfect.

"Let's go in,"

The two half-elves walked in just in time to see Raine walk into the main room with a slight smile.

"Colette's going to be fine," she said.

Lloyd sighed in relief.

"That's good to know..." he smiled, "now she doesn't have to suffer anymore."

"Great! Let's celebrate by eating!" Zelos chirped.

That's when Mithos noticed.

"Hm.."

Zelos was trying to get them to eat really badly... Hm... He smirked. Perhaps he didn't need to get the 'furkiol' into Lloyd's

system after all. Not right now, anyway...there'd be plenty of time later... Not that the object he had brought was what he

told Genis. It wouldn't turn him back to normal, no, but it would've gotten him out of the way without having to worry about

his Origin seal committing suicide afterward...

"Wait, did you look at D- Kra-?" Lloyd started.

Raine sighed.

"He's simply asleep as far as I can tell..." she bit her lip, "though it doesn't look like he's hurt..."

"...Oh, good..." Lloyd said softly.

"How did the lot of you bring yourselves about to bring him here, anyway?" Altessa's gruff voice asked.

"Er...well...it's a bit of a long story," Lloyd trailed.

"You seem to have a lot of those," Altessa said, "like why you look the way you do."

Lloyd flinched.

"U-uh-" he stammered.

"No need, your companions explained last time," he said.

"Uh...ehehh..." Lloyd chuckled nervously.

"So...how did Kratos come into your company...?"

"It's a long story-"

"So let's chat while we eat!" Zelos said.

"What is it with you and wanting to eat so much?" Lloyd asked.

Mithos was the only one that caught the brief smirk. It was only a matter of time...and soon enough, they did begin to drop

off to sleep rather abruptly... Mithos hid himself, he had an idea who had talked Zelos into drugging them...

* * *

So it was that in the dead of the night a figure appeared in the sleeping quarters. A grim smirk donned his face as he saw

the still form of the Origin seal lying helpless in the bed to the far side of the rest of them. Perfect. Now he could break the

seal once and for all. The man's hand stretched out and a ball of electricity formed in his palm...

"I wouldn't do that, Yuan..."

The blue-head visibly flinched, a shot of cold terror shredding down his spine. Green eyes widened with fear as he turned

on heel to face a short, feminine, yet horrifying blond boy.

"...Y...Yggdrasill-!" Yuan cried.

A manic smirk slid onto Mithos' face.

"Surprise,"

In the next second Yuan was a heap on the floor, Mithos cackling as he walked forward.

"Oh this is just ironic," he laughed, "everyone's out because YOU had them drugged...so now there's no one to interrupt us,

eh? Ehehehehehh..."

"Ugh..." Yuan glared up at him, managing to pick himself up off the floor.

"But it's too cramped in here, let's go outside, eh?"

Mithos smirked and Yuan's eyes widened as they both disappeared in a flash of light. However, both half-elves had

miscalculated. Someone had begun to stir with the voices, his brown eyes fluttering open in the dark. He had heard one of

the voices say 'go outside'...

"...Hm..." he frowned.

Slowly he got to his feet, grabbed his swords and exited the house...

"AGH-!"

"Woah-!"

Lloyd barely opened the door in time to see a cobalt-haired half-elf go flying into the cliff-side, coughing out blood and saliva

as the shorter, white-clad half-elf cackled.

"What the-!?"

Both halflings instantly noted him.

"Oh shit..." Mithos swore.

"...Damn you, Yggdrasill..." Yuan managed to cough, deliberately blowing Mithos' cover.

"W-what-?!" Lloyd's eyes locked on the blond.

"Grr...damn you, Yuan-!!"

The half-elf shot another blast of mana to the already half-dead man, and before Lloyd thought his actions through he

found himself defending Yuan using 'Guardian'. However, this served only to anger the dictator more, especially when the

door opened and the others, having been roused by the noise, ran out.

The reactions were predictable.

"W-what's going on out here?!"

"Mithos?!"

"Yuan!!"

"Lloyd?!"

"Lloyd! What's going on out here?!"

Lloyd shot a glance to his friends, noticing Mithos' gaze shifted as well.

"Guys! Watch out-!"

"Heh, too late!" Mithos crowed.

The group gasped in horror as another mana blast headed for them, aimed toward Presea. It was then that Altessa leapt

forward and took the blow for the 'young' girl, falling to the ground in a heap.

"Altessa-!!"

"Mithos-!? Wh-why!? What are you-?!" Genis cried, tears in his eyes.

"You were right not to trust me, Genis," Mithos sneered, "and I didn't trust you either!!"

"Guys! He's Y-!" Lloyd started.

"Yggdrasill..." Raine whispered, the first to realize.

"You always were the smart one, Raine," Mithos smirked.

"MITHOS...SAVED ME..." Tabatha said.

"Shut up!"

There was another blast and Tabatha fell.

"How could you do that?! You even risked your life to save her!" Raine cried.

"Mithos, why?! Why would you hurt Tabatha and Altessa!? You got along so well with them!"

"Tabatha...that doll looked so disturbingly like my sister..." Mithos hissed, "she's a failed vessel who couldn't contain my

sister's soul! Just looking at her makes me sick!"

"M...Mithos..." Genis whispered, the horror of reality setting upon his mind.

"You little bastard...how dare you betray my best friend!!"

Mithos turned to retaliate on Lloyd only to find the brunette already had his swords an inch withing his neck. The blond's

eyes widened in disbelief. Damn it! He knew he'd gotten stronger but what the hell?! In a flash of mana he managed to

warp away mili-seconds before Lloyd skewered him. Mithos came at his foe's back only for the red-clad swordsman to turn

and leave a deep gash diagonally across the Cruxis Leader's torso.

"AAAAGGGGHHHHH!!"

Lloyd's eyes widened. He did it-?!

"YOU-!!"

Mithos staggered backwards, clutching his wound. There was a swirl of feathers and he warped into his 'Yggdrasill' form,

the wound somehow becoming less prominent. Genis was in hysterics. If it wasn't for his sister holding him back he

probably would have become involved in the struggle...which he wanted. The mage couldn't stand seeing his friends fight...

"I'll destroy you-!!" Mithos roared.

Then he cut off, seeing as in his rage he hadn't noticed the blade coming for his back.

"G...guh..." he twitched, looking at the sword tip potruding from his chest.

"Don't...touch...him..."

The sword withdrew and everyone gaped like idiots as Mithos clutched his wound and warped to the far side of the area

away from the rest of them, glaring death at his attacker.

"...No...way..." Lloyd whispered.

A spiky haired figure about five foot nine, panting a bit as if he had ran a marathon with a double-edged sword held with

two hands, his red-brown eyes locked into a glare and no trace he paid any mind to the fact the clothes he wore looked

rather large for him. The swallow-tailed cloak was trailing on the ground, even...

"KRATOS?!"

The teenager shot his attention to the group.

"..." he coughed, "...sorry I'm late."

It was then that Pronyma appeared.

"Lord Yggdrasill-!! Please, you're wounded, leave this to the angels!" she cried.

"Grr...fine then!"

In an instant they were surrounded by an army of angels.

"Seize the chosen and Kr-...the boy," Mithos pointed at Kratos, "kill the rest of them!"

In another warp they were gone.

"Wait-!" Genis cried.

"Pay attention to the fight!"

Genis almost fell over. For a split second he though that Lloyd had said that, as in, the normal-aged Lloyd. That's when he

realized Kratos had ran forward, miraculously not tripping over the clothes which obviously were no longer his size. Lloyd

himself dashed in a moment later.

"HYAH!"

Blood spurted into the air as Lloyd took out at least three angels, severing their wings. The others began their own ways of

decimating the ethereal foes while trying not to look at Kratos during the fight. What in the world was going here? Though

they managed to fight well enough until...

"Light spear-!"

Then the universe imploded.

Kratos tripped.

The group stared in amazement and if it wasn't for the 'indignation' spell Genis had just used that finished off the last on

the angels, more than a couple of them would have been decapitated because they were gaping at the sight. An eerie

silence lasted while Kratos cursed and got to his feet, brushing the dirt off his outfit. Then he looked up.

"..."

So many eyes were locked on him he became extremely uncomfortable.

"...What?" he hissed.

They were amazed at how, despite the situation, Lloyd burst out laughing.

**...I plead insanity.**

**Colette: Kratos is...young? O.o**

**Me:... Probably?**

**Colette: O.O**

**Me: X) I greatly enjoyed writing that, if you couldn't tell...I'll most likely update soon... 3 **

**Colette: ...R...review...? (Still shocked)**


	10. Father and Son

**Well, that went over well. n.n**

**Colette: Oh dear...**

**Me: I apologize for the wait, I know it was evil of me... I'm sorry.**

**Colette: Well...you updated, right? n.n**

**Me: Now the fun begins..3**

**Colette: Freakyanimegal owns nothing...n.n'**

**Father and Son**

Kratos sent Lloyd a death-glare that would've killed anyone else on the spot.

"AHAHAHHA-! OH-! OH FOR THE LOVE OF G-! AHAH! HAHAHAAH-!'

Raine smacked Lloyd upside the head.

"OW-!"

"Stop laughing! We have things to worry about!"

"Huh-? Oh!" Lloyd instantly became serious. "How is everyone?"

Raine was already examining Altessa, deciding that priorities were on the wounded. Presea had drifted over to Tabatha's

still form while the others couldn't help but fix their attention on Kratos once they realized there was nothing they could do

for their wounded friends.

"...So uh..." Genis trailed.

"..." Kratos looked down at himself, fidgeting with the long sleeves.

"...How the HELL did that happen?!" Lloyd blurted.

"...That..." Kratos started, "...wait, where's Yuan-?"

"Oh good, for a minute I thought you forgot about me," a voice snorted.

A heavily wounded Yuan had gotten to his feet, looking at the rest of them.

"...Yuan-" Kratos started.

"I hate to do this, but thank you, Lloyd," Yuan muttered, "...I'm sure I couldn't have taken much more of that...even if he

didn't kill me, I doubt it...thank you."

"Uh...no problem..." Lloyd said, "what were you doing here anyway?"

"He came to kill me,"

Their attention was once more on Kratos.

"...Am I right, Yuan?" Kratos asked.

"..."

"...I thought you were the one in Hima," Kratos frowned, "...and being the Renegade leader..."

"W-what? Why would you-?" Lloyd turned to Yuan.

"Heh, HE can explain, I've got to evacuate my men before they're killed..." Yuan scoffed.

"Wait," Kratos started.

"What?" Yuan glared at him.

"...HEALING WIND!"

The half-elf was momentarily stunned as the magic tended to his wounds.

"...You'll need that," Kratos said simply.

"...Heh," Yuan smirked at him, "...idiot. I guess Lloyd really did get it from you."

Both Aurions glared. Surprisingly, however, Yuan laughed.

"What's so funny?!" Lloyd snarled.

"You look like your father and your father looks like you," Yuan smirked, "you don't think that's funny?"

Then both Aurions twitched.

"I'll be taking my leave now,"

With that Yuan left.

"..."

There was silence a moment more.

"...So how DID that happen?" Sheena asked Kratos.

The Seraph sighed, knowing he had to explain.

"...I'd imagine that attack was meant for Lloyd as it contained furkiol," he said.

Genis jolted.

"F-furkiol...?"

"It's a substance that can...cause alterations," he said, fidgeting with his sleeves again, "mana must be issued to it under

control of a spell-caster to incite a transformation. Mithos probably meant to revert Lloyd back and instead...well, this

happened."

"S-so...what happens if mana ISN'T added?" Genis stammered.

They looked at him, curious over the question.

"It would in all likelihood revert the subject to infancy,"

"Wait...you mean a baby, right?" Colette asked.

Kratos nodded as Genis flinched once more. No way...if he had listened to Mithos Lloyd would've been...and that would've

been bad news for all of them, really...

"...Okay, that explains that..." Lloyd said, "..so...why did Yuan try to kill you?"

"..."

Kratos looked around at the group, seeing Raine and Regal tending Altessa, and Presea and Zelos looking at Tabatha.

After a moment or two he sighed.

"I'll explain once everyone can listen," he stated, "though for now..."

He frowned, rolling up his sleeves.

"I...really need some different clothes..."

"But the only one's we have you could probably fit are Lloyd's spares..." Colette said.

Everyone suddenly perked up, then smirked evilly at the Seraph.

"...No," he said, "I am not-"

"It's all we have," Genis said, unable to suppress an impish grin.

"...I-"

"Genis! Lloyd! Help us move Altessa inside!" Raine called.

"W-what? Oh! Coming!"

"Be right there!"

The males sent Kratos one last glance before racing over.

"..." Kratos twitched.

"...You really do look a lot like Lloyd..." Colette smiled sheepishly.

"Hmph,"

"...Man this is weird," Sheena sighed.

"...There's no point in standing around outside," Kratos said simply, heading off.

The remaining people looking at him went inside as Lloyd and Genis helped place Altessa on a bed, Raine attempting to

heal him. After they were situated, of course, Raine shooed them out.

"...So..." Zelos trailed.

All eyes were on Kratos again.

"...I'm not explaining again," he said stiffly, "ask Lloyd. In the meantime I-"

The ex-Seraph caught a bundle which was suddenly thrown into his arms.

"What is-?"

A bright red bundle.

"...Oh no-"

"That's all we've got," Zelos smirked, "well, go change."

"I-"

"Surely you can't intend to continue wearing that?" Regal asked.

Kratos frowned deeply at the 'Judgment' garb which was much too large for his new frame.

"...Well..." he sighed.

He glared at them a minute before turning and walking for the bathroom. There was an eerie silence as the door closed

with a soft click. The group looked at each other, somewhat at a loss.

"...Well, this was quite a day, huh?" Zelos asked, the first to recover.

No one seemed able to answer.

"...I hope Altessa's going to be okay..." Colette whispered.

Genis said nothing.

"...So..." Sheena trailed.

The ticking of the clock became insufferable.

"...Okay, something better happen or-!!" Lloyd cried.

The bathroom door opened, granting Lloyd his 'something'.

Time froze.

"...AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!"

Lloyd leaned against a wall to support himself, his friends that were capable of laughing close behind.

"...Tch," Kratos spat.

Seeing Kratos as a teenager was shocking enough, seeing him wearing a red dwarven outfit, complete with the

suspenders, belts, boots and gloves was nothing short of a masterpiece.

"I CAN'T BREATHE! I CAN'T BREATHE-!!" Sheena cried.

"MY HEART-!!" Genis cried.

"He looks a lot like Lloyd..." Presea said.

The laughter instantly stopped, all eyes on Kratos, who did indeed look much like his son.

"...Daaaaaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuuuuuuummmmmmnnnnnnn..." Zelos said.

"Hmph," Kratos snorted, looking away.

"Man this is awkward..." Lloyd sighed.

"I'll...just sit over there," Kratos muttered, looking at the chair farthest from them.

"...Hey, wait a minute, where'd you put that other outfit?" Sheena wondered.

"Pardon?"

"You know, that white one,"

"I placed it in the hamper," Kratos stated.

"...Hm..." Lloyd glanced toward the bathroom.

"...Do it," Zelos grinned.

"Do? Do what-?" Kratos started.

"Well we see you in Lloyd's outfit, soooooooooo..."

"W-what? I don't want to try on a CRUXIS uniform-!" Lloyd protested.

"Oh come on, we need a laugh!" Zelos said.

"Well..." Genis trailed, glancing at Kratos again, "..I'm sorry Lloyd, he looks almost exactly like you, except for the hair and

all...so it's just..."

"Kratos does look a lot like you, Lloyd..." Colette flushed.

"...Correction, he looks a lot like ME," Kratos said stiffly.

Silence fell once more.

"...I really do, huh?" Lloyd frowned. "Hm..."

Slowly a mischievous grin spread on the brunette's face...

"...What are you thinking?" Kratos glared.

"...Well, we've got nothing to do right now...so..." he headed for the bathroom, "it wouldn't hurt anything...it'll keep our

spirits up for now, at least, right?"

"W-what?" Kratos stammered. "I-"

"Oh come on, you're wearing my clothes!"

"I don't have a choice in the matter!" Kratos snapped. "There is no point in you-"

"Nope, no point," Lloyd smirked, "but it'll be fun."

"Lloyd-" Kratos started threateningly.

Too late. Lloyd went into the bathroom and closed the door leaving his father fuming.

"...I don't understand him sometimes..." the Seraph muttered.

"...Sooooo..."

Kratos flinched when he noted some of the younger members had gotten particularly close to him, looking him up and down

as if trying to believe they were seeing what they were seeing.

"...What?" Kratos asked.

"...I...I'm sorry!" Colette blurted.

"Wow..." Genis tilted his head to the side, "you really DO have Lloyd's face..."

Kratos shifted uncomfortably.

"Yeah, if his hair was the same..." Sheena mused.

"Please refrain from staring at me,"

"We should fix his hair like Bud's," Zelos grinned.

Kratos slipped away from them.

"No one is going to touch my hair," he glared.

"Ooooohhhhh...now I REALLY want to see!" Genis grinned.

"No-"

"C'mon, just a little-!"

Kratos barely dodged as Zelos attempted to grab him, Sheena assisting and trying to grab the Seraph as he dodged. The

angel weaved through them and then attempted to make a break for it, only for Genis to grab onto one of the ribbons

trailing form the neck of shirt...

THUD!

And Kratos hit the floor.

"...BWAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAH!" everyone laughed hysterically.

"All of you be quiet or I swear I'll kill you all!!" Kratos snapped, red in the face.

Everyone stared...then burst out laughing again, Kratos visibly shaking with rage as he got to his feet.

"A-HEM..."

The group turned to the bathroom door to see Lloyd grinning sheepishly in 'Judgment'...

"...Holy...shit..." Zelos' eye twitched.

"O-oh my-!!" Colette flushed.

"Holy CRAP..." Genis gaped.

"The resemblance is uncanny..." Regal whispered.

"Yes...the hair is really the only difference..." Presea reported.

They stopped for about ten seconds.

"...AHAHAHAHHAHAAHHAAHHAHAHAAHAH!"

Presea had cracked a smile and Regal was chuckling, the rest of them laughing their guts out. Kratos' eye twitched, not

finding the situation humorous in the least. Lloyd laughed nervously.

"Wow this is weird..." Lloyd rubbed the back of his neck, smiling a bit.

"..." Kratos flinched.

Then, of course, silence fell again, the tension and down-hearted feelings pulling them all down into a funk once more.

Sure, they had managed to distract themselves from the reality they now faced with these meager...amusements, but in

the end it couldn't erase the cruelty of the situation... Altessa's injury, Mithos' true identity, the development with Kratos

and the question of why Yuan had tried to kill him...there was far too much on their plate...

Creeeaaaakkk...

All heads turned as the door to the next room opened, an exasperated Raine entering with a hand running through her

hair, as if trying to calm herself.

"He's stable," she said, her eyes on the floor, "but we need to find a doctor as soon as possible-"

It was then that Raine looked up, seeing the bizarre sight of Kratos dressed like Lloyd and vice versa. For a milisecond she

through she was dreaming, surely, before the events caught up to her. Her blue eyes widened slowly, mouth agape, as

she stared at the conspicuous duo.

"...Uh..." Lloyd trailed.

"Kratos' clothes didn't fit, and Lloyd was trying to cheer us up..." Genis said.

Silence fell.

"I...er...I'll go change, be right back," Lloyd flushed, dashing into the bathroom faster than a bolt.

"...A...a doctor?" Sheena spoke up, trying to ease the awkwardness. "I know a good one in Flanior, we went to him when

our chief suffered and injury. We can go to him."

"Flanior? Geez, we're gonna have to get to making tracks then," Zelos said.

"Agreed, we must leave as soon as Lloyd rejoins us," Regal nodded.

They talked while trying to avoid staring at the 'boy' in the corner, the red-clad 'teen' averting his gaze.

"...I'll...go prepare the rheairds," Presea said, leaving the building.

"I-I'll go with her!" Genis stammered, chasing his crush out.

"Y-yeah...same here," Sheena said.

And of course, anywhere she went Zelos followed, leaving the adults and Colette.

"...I hope Altessa will be okay..." Colette whispered, "he saved me..."

"If we hurry he should make it," Kratos spoke up, "as long as we are swift."

Colette bit her lip and nodded as Lloyd re-entered.

"Okay I- Hey, where did everyone go-?"

"We are heading for Flanior to get a doctor," Raine said, "we need to hurry, so..."

Slowly she turned to Kratos.

"...What?" he said simply, glaring.

The woman looked at him a minute and then sighed, rubbing her head.

"We'll have to have Genis and Presea share a rheaird, that way you can use the spare,"

"..." Kratos nodded.

"R-right..." Lloyd nodded, "okay, let's go!"

* * *

"I'll need some escorts,"

Lloyd did everything in his power not to say a few choice words to the doctor they had come to with their plea. They told

the jerk someone was dying and he could only think about money! He HATED people like that! However, the brunette

managed to keep his mouth shut as the doctor split up his friends for escorts.

"You four will do fine," he said, looking at the Tethe'allans.

"We'll have to take one of your rheairds..." Regal mused.

"Go ahead and take mine," Lloyd said, "just make sure Altessa makes it."

"I'll stay here with Lloyd!" Colette said instantly.

"I will watch you," Raine nodded.

"I-I'll stay too..." Genis trailed.

"..." Kratos said nothing.

"Okay, we'll meet up with you when we can," Sheena nodded.

"Take...care," Presea trailed.

"Y-y-you t-take-" Genis stammered.

"C'mon, we need to hurry!" Zelos said.

Then in an instant they were gone.

"...GGRRRR! DAMN IT! STUPID, STUPID JACKASS OF A CHOSEN-!!"

SMACK!

"Watch your mouth, Genis!" Raine snapped, a look of rage upon her face.

"S-sorry-!"

"...Well, we might as well get to the inn..." Lloyd sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

The others nodded before the group headed for the inn. On the way, Lloyd and the others kept glancing back at Kratos,

who met none of their eyes and continued walking as if alone. It really was so strange seeing him like that...especially with

how much the two swordsmen looked alike... Colette fidgeted, looking between Lloyd and his father, unnerved as the rest

of them were. Kratos looked SO much Lloyd-! Er, Lloyd looked so much like Kratos! Of course, the fact he was wearing

Lloyd's clothes didn't exactly help.

"W-well...um...here we are," Lloyd said, walking in.

There was no response from his companions. He sighed and walked in with the lot of them to the front desk, taking the

initiative to talk to the receptionist.

"Hi, uh...what have you got for five?"

"Hm, let me check..."

There was another silenced filled only by the flitting of pages, the woman's fingertips causing flicking sounds to fill the

vacuum of silence that had long penetrated the five of them.

"Okay, I've got two," she said, "there's a three person and a two, you two ladies and the little guy-"

Genis scowled.

"Can share one," she said, handing Raine a key, "and..."

She scurried about a minute before handing a key to Lloyd.

"You and your little brother can share the other one," she smiled.

Kratos and Lloyd visibly flinched, the half-elves burst into coughing as Colette tripped...standing still. The receptionist

frowned in confusion as Lloyd attempted to stammer out words.

"H-he's not- I-" he forced, a mix between shocked, disgusted, and embarrassed.

"Oh? I'm sorry, I just thought...oh you're right, are you cousins?"

"N-n-" he shook his head, "nevermind, thanks!"

Lloyd took the key and bolted upstairs, the rest soon following out of an attempt to escape the awkwardness, leaving the

poor woman severely confused.

"The brother thing again?!" Lloyd groaned once they were out of earshot.

"Well..." Colette bit her lip.

"That's not important," Kratos snapped, "let's just get some rest-"

"Holy-!!" Genis gasped, staring wide-eyed at Kratos.

"What?" he snapped.

"Are you BLUSHING!?" the half-elf cried.

Silence fell like a brick once again. Though this time a cricket chirped somewhere.

"Wha-?!"

Everyone, even Raine (though she tried to look like she didn't), attempted to zoom in to Kratos' face to find that yes, in

fact, there was a faint blush of embarrassment on his cheeks. Needless to say, they were quite certain the world had in

fact ended, since the trip hadn't done it. Kratos shook his head and back up from them, not looking at them.

"W-where is the room?" he snapped, heading off stubbornly down the hall.

"It's right here," Lloyd pointed at the door to his right, still gaping off at his father.

"...Of course," Kratos coughed, turning and heading back with his face downcast.

They stared at him a minute more...

"Are you going to open the door or not?" Kratos hissed, glaring UP at his son.

"Er..y-yeah..." Lloyd turned to the door, "um...good night, everybody..."

"...Right," Raine nodded, "come along, Genis, Colette."

"S-sleep well!" Colette stammered, forcing a smile.

"Tch..." Kratos glanced aside.

"Good night..." Lloyd said as Colette walked down the hall.

"...Well? Are you going to open the door?" Kratos asked.

"Huh-? Oh! Right..." Lloyd fumbled with the key, the door opening with a distinct 'click'.

The swordsmen walked into room, Lloyd glancing down nervously at his father as the Seraph persisted to avoid

acknowledging his existence in the least. Nervously, Lloyd closed the door and walked up to the window to fight off the

nagging feeling of awkwardness...

"Wow..." he found himself saying, "look at that snow..."

As he gazed out at the falling flakes, he barely noted the faint footsteps coming up behind him. After a second he glanced

to his side where Kratos stood, looking out as well.

"...Hey...um..." Lloyd fidgeted.

"I'm going for a walk," Kratos stated, turning from him.

"Huh-? But it's-!" he started.

"I'll be fine, you stay here and get some rest,"

Lloyd glared.

"Like hell!" he snapped. "Either you stay, or I'm going with you!"

Kratos paused a minute...

"..Fine then," he nodded, "...if you wish."

Lloyd blinked. He hadn't expected for Kratos to give in so easily... After several minutes Lloyd found himself following Kratos

through the snowy city, watching the snowflakes fall softly onto the spikes of the Seraph's hair. The twin swordsman

wasn't quite sure why he was following Kratos, or where he was leading him, but regardless soon they stopped.

"...Hey, what's-? Woah!"

Lloyd looked out over the balcony his father had lead him to, gaping out at the city. The homes huddled together like eggs

in nest, all sharing a blanket of snow which seemed to engulf the entire plane of existence. The only things that seemed to

indicate where one 'blanket' ended or began were the lights glowing dimly beneath them, strung together like Christmas

lights on a tree all the while more snow fell to grace the ground beneath.

"...I came here once," Kratos stated.

Lloyd turned to his father, who looked up on the scene with glazed eyes.

"...It was always like this, even when I was a child..." he continued.

"...When did you come here?"

Kratos slowly turned to look at him, Lloyd growing unnerved by the eyes that looked so much like his.

"...I came here shortly after I defeated the Lestuk," he stated, "...I was...trying to...think."

"...How did you get back to normal?" Lloyd asked. "That 'furkiol' stuff? Or does it only-?"

"Furkiol can counteract the Lestuk's spell and return the subject to its original state."

Lloyd, of course, was not known for his brains. Contrary, he was known for having let it wander and never come back (and

the fact he had fallen off a cliff as a kid didn't help), yet he still had his moments where he realized something important. If

one had been paying attention, they would soon realize this was one such time.

"Wait..." Lloyd said, "if that stuff..."

Kratos looked away.

"...You..." the brunette's eyes widened, "you never DID get back to normal, did you!?"

The spiky-haired male said nothing, looking out at the snow.

"Kratos-!"

"Yuan and I were this age when I...met it," he muttered, "...I managed to defeat it, as Yuan and I both believed it would

change me back but...as it told you, that wasn't the case."

Lloyd watched his father in horror. He wasn't sure for who, his father, himself...both.

"...I couldn't...take it," Kratos muttered, closing his eyes, "after that I came here trying to...find myself, I suppose. I

needed...I needed to be alone, I needed to figure out what it was I was going to do with myself after...all that."

After a minute he continued, his breath vapor in the night air.

"...I didn't go home, I don't believe I went home until several years after..." he said, "...I began looking for another way to

reclaim...this, body after the Lestuk disappeared..."

At this he slowly brought his hands up to his face, looking down at them with an unreadable expression bordering on

sorrow engraved in his features.

"...I became involved in experiments on physical- on age, at a laboratory... I was desperate, you see, as it had been a year

since I...since it happened. The project most certainly had an affect on age, though it did not revert me back to normal.

Instead it...simply caused me to stop aging in total. That's how I have lived so long..."

"...That's how Yuan and Mithos too-?"

Kratos nodded.

"It was about nine years after that when I met Yuan again...by then he had grown to the age I was, physically," Kratos

continued, "...it was...quite a reunion, to put a long story short, and at the end of our journey both he and Mithos

underwent the same thing I did and...we stopped aging."

"...So you...you really did lose ten years, didn't you...?"

Lloyd felt his heart plummet. There was the possibility he could NOT change back, that was true, but he found himself

thinking more of what he had said before. He told Kratos he had no idea what he was going through...he had every idea.

He had had it WORSE even, because he ended up alone...he ended up losing everything-

"I won't let the same thing happen to you,"

"Huh?" Lloyd blinked, snapping from his stupor.

"...I won't let it happen to you," Kratos said sternly, "I discovered the furkiol far too late for it to be of any use to me...but I

will not let you share my fate, I swear it."

"...D...Kr..." Lloyd trailed.

"...After Mithos is stopped," Kratos said, looking at the sky, "...we'll take the furkiol and you can go back to your life."

"...You really think that I...?

"I know you can," Kratos stated, "I know you can stop him, I know you can fix the world."

Lloyd flinched. Did he really hear that? Did Kratos really...really believe in him.

"...Mithos and I gave up on fixing our mistakes," the Seraph continued, "...you didn't give up. Even now, you still refuse to

give up...that is what sets you apart from us, and on the right path."

"...I-"

Then the third apocalyptic thing occurred.

Kratos sneezed.

"W-what the-?"

"I...I'm sorry," he said, shaking his head, "...I...as I said, the furkiol put me back to how I was before and at this age I didn't

quite have the endurance against the cold..."

Indeed, his face did look a bit frost-bitten, his lips taking a shade of blue. Lloyd himself felt perfectly fine, but he then

reminded himself that it was a different situation with him...

"Here,"

Lloyd took off his red jacket, handing it to Kratos.

"What?" Kratos scoffed. "No, that's not necessary-"

"Oh bull," Lloyd rolled his eyes, setting it on Kratos' shoulders, "take it. I'm fine."

"...Very well," Kratos sighed, slipping the extra jacket over his own, "...thank you."

"Hey, no problem," Lloyd laughed nervously, "...so...um..."

BAM!

"What the-!?"

"Ugh-!"

Kratos hit the snowy floor, flailing as something large and furry began to lick him without mercy.

"N-noishe-! Get off-!"

Noishe barked and continued to lick Kratos, his tail wagging furiously behind him.

"Noishe-! Come on! Get off of him-!"

The protozoan protested in loud whines as Lloyd tried to pry him off, Kratos attempting to shove the arshis away so it was

no longer a dangers to suffocating him. After a minute they had managed to remove the large furry creature from Kratos as

he got to his feet, brushing off the snow with mumbled curses under his breath.

"Noishe-!" Lloyd cried.

The protozoan whined and then barked loudly at Kratos, his tail wagging frantically.

"Huh...? HEY! You didn't recognize ME after that-!!" Lloyd snapped.

"Of course not, Noishe has seen me like this before," Kratos stated.

"...He has?" Lloyd blinked.

"Noishe is a very, very old creature..." Kratos said distantly.

Noishe barked again, attempting to escape Lloyd's grip to lick Kratos some more.

"He seems really happy to see you...I mean, even more than usual..." Lloyd mused.

"...Heh," Kratos smirked a bit, "...he would."

"Huh? Why?"

"He bet me I would return to this form someday, I doubted him, of course..."

This took a moment to register.

"Wait...Noishe BET you...?" Lloyd stared.

"...He is also very intelligent," Kratos said simply.

"Not that! How did you actually manage to understand him?!"

"..." Kratos replied.

"Oh fine," Lloyd groaned, "don't tell me."

Kratos hesitated a moment before walking up and stroking Noishe's head, the 'dog' barking happily. Lloyd watched the

scene in an almost entranced fashion. A boy, wearing his clothes, that looked so much like he did, gently petting Noishe...

Kratos turned to look at him.

"...What are you staring at?" he asked.

"...U-uhm...nothing?...Heh heh," Lloyd grinned.

"...What is it?"

"Didn't...I say that to you?"

Kratos' expression softened, a crack of a smirk coming to his lips.

"...I believe so," he nodded.

"...Is that why?"

"Hm?"

"Is that why you were staring at me? Because I looked like...you?" he finished.

"...And your mother,"

"...About Mom-"

Kratos sneezed again.

"Woah-! You okay-?"

"Y-yes..." Kratos nodded, bring his hand away from his mouth, "I just..."

"It's cold out here," Lloyd interrupted, "we should go back."

"...All right," Kratos nodded.

With that they departed back for the inn with Noishe at Kratos' side, the teenager pulling Lloyd's jacket closer around him

in an attempt to keep out the cold. ...It was so strange...he hadn't been able to feel cold in so long... He tilted his head so

his hair shrouded his face, and, sure that Lloyd couldn't see, he smiled.

**Me: Hm...that made me happy for some reason. n.n**

**Colette: It was kinda cute! n.n**

**Me: Why thank you, I think so. n.n Please review if you wish. **

**NOTE: The Eternal Sword will be mentioned next chapter. I didnt' forget it. lol.**


	11. Senses and Thoughts

**Mmph...**

**Colette: Huh? What's wrong?**

**Me: Writer's block.**

**Colette: Huh? For...**

**Me: EVERYTHING! GARGH! (Tears hair out).**

**Colette: I'm sure you'll be fine... Freakyanimegal owns nothing!**

**Me: Oh well...enjoy what I manage to write, please. n.n'**

**Senses and Thoughts**

Warm.

It was cozy, cozy and warm. Soft fabric brushed against his skin and transferred the glorious warmth through his body.

Half-consciously he clung the blankets closer to his flesh, attempting to stay in one place as not to touch the cold sheets he

had not lain on through the night while trying to roll himself into the covers. The pillow smelt clean and fragrant against his

nose, the silken material like the kiss of heaven against his cheek. With a blissful sigh he snuggled into the soft barricade

further, a smile stretching onto his face.

"Uh...you awake?"

He barely heard the voice. Awake? No, not yet, hell with being awake, it was cold outside these covers. Frack that. Frack

the entire world. Nothing on Earth or Derris-Kharlan was going to get him out from under these covers, nothing was going

to break him from his peaceful, wonderful, glorious sleep-

...Sleep...?

HE WAS ASLEEP!?

Kratos jolted upright, holding the covers tightly in his hands to the point the knuckles had turned white, eyes wide in shock

and his bare arms seeming to scream from the sudden exposure to the cold around him. Hurriedly he looked around,

panicked. Where-!? This room- Where- What- How- He had been asleep? ASLEEP!? Impossible! He hadn't slept for

thousands of years! His thoughts came to a screeching halt at the sound of his stomach growling before they began to

race at an even more breakneck speed.

"...Kratos, are you okay-?"

He jolted his head to the side- who the hell-!? No! Think, darn it, calm down...it's just Lloyd, it's Lloyd, you're in an inn in

Flanior, the dwarf Altessa is in critical condition, Yuan tried to kill you, Mithos showed up and...you're a teenager. He

flinched again. Teenager...he'd turned back into a teenager. He looked down at his hands clutching the blanket, then up his

arms and down at the black shirt he had worn to bed. Lloyd's shirt, draped on a frame that was not quite as broad-

shouldered as his own, close to a man's, but still a boy's. An adolescent. He was a teenager...

"...Kratos-?"

"I- I'm sorry, Lloyd," he managed to cough, "I...was a little startled."

"Huh? About what?" he blinked.

"...I...haven't slept in four thousand years, I assume I was just a little...surprised."

"Oh- Wait, really?" Lloyd stared. "You...haven't slept in-!?"

"Do you remember when Colette lost her senses? Essentially, the only thing I've kept that is human besides my soul would

be my ability to speak. Feeling anything besides pain, sleeping, and eating have eluded me for centuries."

"...Really?" Lloyd asked, frowning.

Kratos nodded.

"Wait...I saw you eat during the journey-"

"I did not grow hungry and I could barely taste, but I could essentially eat."

"...You lived like that for HOW long?"

Kratos glanced at him.

"...Wow...I would've gone crazy,"

"..."

Kratos stomach gurgled. Both males stopped and slowly looked at the Seraph's stomach, the auburn-haired 'boy' bringing a

hand to his belly as if disbelieving what had just occurred. He was...hungry? That's was what this was? He hadn't...he

hadn't known hunger for so long he was confused at what it was for a moment. Wait! Did this mean he could taste? As in

truly taste? True, he could taste trace amounts of foods depending on how strong the flavor was, lemons were potent

enough, yet those damn tomatoes were as well... Then of course, there was the Professor's cooking while they were

passing through Triet... Even with his extremely dulled senses of taste, that meal was enough to cause him to have to

resort to magic to heal himself. He shuddered at the thought of what the others had to experience tasting Raine's

'dishes'...

"Heh heh," Lloyd grinned.

"What?" Kratos looked at him.

"Well, you're hungry now, aren't you?"

"...I...suppose I am," Kratos said, unable to stop from sounding bewildered.

"Well, we're up early, let's get some breakfast,"

Kratos began to say something then stopped.

"...Early? You?"

"H-hey! What do you mean by that-!?"

"What time is it?"

"It's like six-thirty-"

"And YOU got up at six-thirty," Kratos said slowly, skeptical.

"...W-well..." Lloyd fidgeted, "...I..."

"...You had a nightmare, didn't you?"

Lloyd visibly flinched.

"W-what? How did you-?"

"I had many myself, after...that," Kratos stated.

"...Oh..."

"...Breakfast..." the angel muttered, "that sounds..."

Lloyd looked at him.

"...Lovely," Kratos smiled slightly.

Lloyd broke out into a wide grin, forgetting the nightmare which had indeed woken him.

"Okay then! They got a kitchen downstairs, let's go!"

"Are you not going to wait for your friends?"

"They're probably still sleeping for at least a few more minutes..." Lloyd said, "the Professor doesn't like getting up early,

and Colette hasn't been able to sleep for a while so-"

"Believe me, I understand," Kratos nodded, "..."

"...Kratos-?"

"Well," Kratos slid out of bed wearing Lloyd's sleepwear, "I'll throw on that appalling jacket of yours and we'll be off then?"

"Hey-! Don't insult my outfit-!"

Kratos raised an eyebrow. He actually knew what 'appalling' meant?

"I'm not quite sure what that word is, but I know it's not nice!"

Okay...moving on...

"Heh," Kratos smirked.

Lloyd pouted a bit as Kratos reluctantly grabbed 'his' clothes. Though at the same time he was rather rapid in his process

of getting ready. Breakfast...and he was actually hungry, and he could probably ACTUALLY taste! Like maybe a pancake,

smothered with butter, and some bacon- GODS yes, bacon! When was the last time he had some of that succulent dish?

He was so into his thoughts he didn't realize the smile that had stretched over his face, but he caught it all to well when he

realized Lloyd was gaping at him.

"...What?" he glared, his voice like ice.

"Are you...smiling-?"

"So what if I was?" he hissed.

"...I don't know if I should laugh or be scared..." Lloyd mused.

Kratos wasn't listening, however, he had already made a beeline for the door. Lloyd pouted and followed the shorter

swordsman downstairs into the small cafeteria the inn held. Nobody was there yet, though the kitchen was in fact open.

Kratos didn't mind, in fact, he preferred it like that. There was a piping hot pot of coffee next to some danishes already set

out. Now, Kratos had inhuman speed to begin with yet Lloyd was still unnerved at the blur that was (bizarrely) his father

as he poured himself a mug of coffee and took a deep, rather loud slurp of it that went on so long Lloyd wondered if he

downed the whole thing in one go.

"Ah..." Kratos said in contentment as he brought down the cup, "_Skafal, merutu._"

Though Lloyd didn't have a clue, Kratos had in fact said 'Good morning, beautiful' in angelic, regardless, he got the hint that

his father liked his coffee.

"...What?"

"Huh-? Wha-? I wasn't staring-!" Lloyd blurted.

"..."

Kratos turned and slurped his coffee again, smiling softly.

"Mm..." he hummed to himself.

"Let's see..." Lloyd said, trying to change the topic, "they got some fruit, some danishes, some bacon-"

"Where?" Kratos said so abruptly he almost dropped his coffee.

"...You like bacon?" Lloyd blinked.

Kratos kept a straight face even though on the inside he was fighting the urge to run over, grab the bacon, swallow it,

then smack Lloyd around with a piece of toast for asking such a stupid question.

"I...take that as a yes...?"

Within a few minutes they were seated with their meals, besides the fact Lloyd barely ate anything seeing as he was too

busy watching his father politely, yet quite speedily, eat everything he could possibly get to fit on the one plate he had.

"Uh..."

Kratos was in a euphoria. Bacon! Eggs! Toast! Jam! Pancakes! He'd forgotten how amazingly BEAUTIFUL everything could

taste! How AMAZING everything dealing with taste was! THOUSANDS of years and he had actually not truly missed this?!

Maybe Lloyd was right, maybe he HAD gone insane...either then or now he wasn't quite certain, nor did he care, the only

thing that mattered is he had finished his third cup of coffee...which he immediately refilled and began to ingest again.

"Isn't that like, your fourth cup-?"

Kratos glared at him.

"...What of it?" he spat.

"Uh...n-nothing, but isn't that bad for you-?"

Kratos' glare intensified.

"Nevermind!"

"Good, now pass me the boysenberry syrup,"

"What the...?"

They looked to the entrance to find Genis gaping at them- or rather, Kratos- Colette covering her mouth and Raine raising

an eyebrow so high it almost hid in her hair. It was probably due to the fact that a mountain of breakfast food was before

Kratos and the mercenary in question currently had a mouth-full of sausage...while drinking coffee. He quickly swallowed

and placed the mug down, attempting to look like he was doing nothing other than what he would usually do...not that

that could help him any, now.

"Wow..." Genis stared, "you were...uh...hungry, huh?"

"...Perhaps," he said, glancing away.

"Wow! Kratos sure likes to eat a lot..." Colette giggled, smiling nervously, "just like Lloyd!"

The silence hammer bashed them again.

"Right," Raine said stiffly, "let's all just get fueled up and wait for the others."

"Y-yeah..." Lloyd nodded, "I hope there's some bacon left-"

"There's some left?" Kratos demanded, looking at the buffet.

"..." everyone stared.

"...Never mind that," the angel coughed, turning back to his meal.

Cautiously the group trailed off to get their breakfast, still glancing out of the corner of their eye at Kratos, who was busy

slurping down his (fifth) cup of coffee. Raine slid next to Lloyd and muttered a question into his ear, trying to be as silent as

possible.

"Is he...all right?" she muttered.

"Wh-? Oh..." Lloyd hushed his voice, "yeah, I think so, anyway..."

Raine looked at him a minute, her cool blue eyes seeming to bore into his features.

"...Professor?" Lloyd asked nervously.

"I'm sorry," she shook her head, "you look so much like him and he looks..."

"...A-ah..." Lloyd stammered, flushing a bit.

Colette sat down with her breakfast next to Kratos, who was cleanly yet rapidly downing a danish. He glanced up at her for

a second and she smiled nervously as he swallowed.

"...What is it?" he asked.

"...Um...well..." she fidgeted.

She looked at him again, taking in the eyes, the face, the expression he looked at her with.

"...You really do have the same face..." she mumbled.

"...I-"

Just then Lloyd sat down between them, smiling.

"So!" he said. "Did you sleep good last night, Colette?"

"H-huh? Oh, yes," she nodded, smiling apologetically.

"She actually slept, too," Genis said as he sat down, "the rune crest fixed her right up."

"Really? That's great!" Lloyd grinned.

"Hee hee," Colette giggled.

"All right, we need to eat and be prepared for the others," Raine said as she sat down, "after that we can discuss our next

course of action."

Kratos nodded and Lloyd frowned.

"Woah," Genis said.

"Huh?" Lloyd looked at him.

Genis looked at Kratos, a Lloyd with auburn hair in his face; then at Lloyd, a brunette Kratos with his hair stuck up defying

gravity. The half-elf looked between them and whimpered a bit.

"Uh...excuse me,"

Genis got up and walked across the room, taking deep breathes.

"Huh-? Genis, what's wrong?" Lloyd called.

"He's fine," Raine snapped, "just ignore it."

"...Could you pass the syrup?" Kratos asked hesitantly to Colette.

"H-huh? Oh! S-sure, here you go,"

The blond passed Kratos the bottle and then gasped when Kratos smiled at her.

"Thanks-! Er...thank you," he said.

"Oop-!" she fell out of her chair.

"Colette, are you okay!?" Lloyd cried.

"I'm fine!" she yelped.

"...I...I apologize-" Kratos started.

"...Never, ever do that again," Lloyd said, his eye twitching.

"Colette, are you sure you're right?" Raine asked.

"I-I'm fine!" she said, getting back on her chair.

Kratos silently went back to his dish as the group stared at him. What was with him? Tripping? Blushing? SMILING? Then of

course all his other peculiar behavior...

"Hm...I wonder, could this be an after-affect of the furkiol...?" Raine muttered.

"Hm?" Kratos looked at her.

"Marvelous...absolutely marvelous!" Raine's eyes lit up.

"RUN KRATOS! RUN!" Lloyd cried.

Kratos didn't need to be told twice. He sprang to his feet and made a break for the door, but Raine grabbed him by the

ribbon as her sibling had done not twenty-four hours previously.

"Gah-!" Kratos grunted.

"Oh no you don't! Look, I just need a blood sample-"

"Professor, please, you-" Kratos stammered.

Raine procured a scapel from somewhere and removed one of Kratos' gloves, nicking his finger.

"Ugh-! Raine-!"

"HOLD STILL!" Raine snapped, then collected a drop in a small vial.

"Let me go-"

"AHAHAH!" Raine cried, releasing him and oogling the few drops in the vial. "MARVELOUS! OH I MUST STUDY THIS AT ONCE!"

With that Raine cackled and dashed for the door.

"I'll be back in a few minutes don't misbehave bye!" she said as she ran out.

Everyone left in the room dotted.

"...I never imagined becoming a test subject," Kratos said.

"I'm just glad she didn't eye me..." Lloyd shuddered.

"Woah, what happened?" Genis asked, having walked back over. "Did Raine-?"

"Yep," Colette flushed.

"Oh no...geez, I'm sorry, Kratos..."

"It's fine, it didn't hurt much," Kratos said, examining the small cut.

The young mage sighed.

"Sis...she just worries me sometimes..." he groaned.

"Hmph," Kratos replied.

"So..." Lloyd trailed, "...once the others get here, what do you think we should do?"

"Huh?" Colette looked at him.

"I mean, I just want your guys' opinion first..." he trailed.

"You should postpone this for when the others arrive," Kratos stated, "there's something you all need to know before you

make any further decisions."

"'You all'?" Lloyd raised an eyebrow.

"...Yes, what of it?"

"You mean 'we', right?" Lloyd smiled.

"...We-?"

"You're part of the group too, duh!" Lloyd said. "Whether you like it or not!"

"It's true," Colette nodded, smiling apologetically, "you are...kinda."

"Pretty much," Genis agreed, "I can't see you leaving us now."

Kratos fidgeted.

"...By the way..." Genis trailed.

"Hm?" Kratos looked at him.

"...You SURE you won't put your hair up?"

Kratos glared.

"No."

"Hair up?" Lloyd blinked.

"Back at Altessa's, we were trying to see if he looked like you with his hair up..." Colette told him.

Lloyd froze.

"DOES he?"

"If any of you even CONSIDER-" Kratos warned.

"I'll hold him down!" Lloyd said.

"Don't you DARE-! LLOYD!"

Now of course, during any normal circumstances there'd be now way in hell Lloyd could actually hold Kratos still in one

place. This, however, was nothing near 'normal'. Due to Lloyd's 'condition' and Kratos being reverted to a seventeen year

old, it was not only possible but nigh _easy_.

"O-oh no-!" Colette cried. "W-we shouldn't-!"

"Put me down right this instant-!!"

Lloyd grinned.

"C'mon Genis, do it!"

"Got it!" Genis said, acquiring a comb from the bag Raine had left by the table.

"Genis, I swear, if you touch that thing to my head I'll-"

"I'll take my chances," the mage grinned.

"Why you little-" Kratos snarled.

"Just shush and hold still, you can put it back right afterward!" Lloyd said.

"NO-"

The comb made contact with his hair, succeeding in causing him to struggle harder to no avail in Lloyd's grasp as the young

half-elf styled the Seraph's locks in the fashion of his best friend, all the while the disgruntled swordsman snapped out

rapid protests. After what seemed like an eternity of protests, flails, snags of hair and snickers Genis drew back to admire

his handy work-

"Holy CRAP!" he shouted.

Lloyd was so shocked he released him.

"There, NOW are you satisfied?!" Kratos spat at them, clearly beyond irritated.

"Guys, the others are here-"

Raine stopped dead in her tracks, gaping like an idiot. She was shortly followed by the Tethe'allan part of their group, who

stopped and stared as well. Zelos, however, took it a bit further.

"Holy crap! Bud! You got back to normal! How'd you do th- tha- tha...t...?"

Zelos had spotted what he first thought was the normal, teenage Lloyd, then spotted the 'adult' Lloyd standing right

behind the first 'Lloyd'. He stared a second before he realized that the 'young' Lloyd had a dark auburn head of hair, and

certainly was never that mad looking without shouting.

"...Uh..." Lloyd trailed, "...hey, guys?"

"HOLY SWEET BANANA TEA WITH A MANGO ON TOP!!" Zelos cried.

"KRATOS!?" Sheena gasped.

"...Disturbing," Presea reported.

"I must say I agree..." Regal gaped.

"There, now that everyone's had their fun," Kratos huffed, attempting to muss his hair back into its original style, "I'd

suggest we stop gawking and get down to business."

Apparently they didn't hear him, seeing as they continued to stare.

"...How is Altessa?"

"Huh-? Oh! Yeah, he pulled through, some dude's from Mizuho are watching him," Zelos said.

"Oh, that's good," Lloyd smiled, "...so what do we do now?"

"I can help with that," Kratos said as he messed with his hair, "there is something vital to completely your goal of uniting

the worlds that you must...know...about."

The last few words were rather strained as he finally got his hair back to normal. He gave a small smirk of satisfaction and

began to talk again when suddenly his hair sprang up into the previous position. He slowly closed his mouth and his eye

twitched as everyone resisted snickers. Kratos snorted and then attempted to flatten his hair more forcibly...

SPROING!

...Only to have it spring up again.

"...What...in the name of mana..." Kratos hissed slowly.

"Woah, Genis! What'd you put in his hair?" Lloyd stared.

"Huh? I didn't put anything in his hair! I just used this comb!"

"THAT comb?" Raine paled.

"Yeah-...sis...what's wrong?"

Raine snatched the comb and looked it over, covering her mouth as she flushed.

"...What was on that comb?" Kratos asked icily.

"Uh...w-well..." she coughed, "I was attempting to invent a comb that would inject a kind of...instant dissolving shampoo,

into your hair while you combed. You see, just in case I didn't have time to shower...the thing is, the 'shampoo' I developed

is rather...viscous, and it doesn't quite dissolve very quickly."

"...Meaning...?" Zelos asked.

"It's like glue and it doesn't wear off for about five hours," she said.

The grew quiet.

"Woah, y'mean his hair is gonna be stuck like that for five hours?" Zelos jabbed a thumb at Kratos.

"Well...yes,"

"Y'mean we're going to have a scarier version of Lloyd walking around?" Genis asked.

"Pretty much,"

"...OKAAAAAAY..." Sheena trailed

Everyone backed up about a foot from Kratos.

"No one make eye contact!" Zelos shouted.

Kratos was shaking violently, taking deep breaths as he attempted to calm down.

"Uh...D-Kratos? Are you okay?" Lloyd said.

"I'm...fine..." Kratos said through gritted teeth, then took a final deep breath, "...all right, all of you make yourselves

comfortable. I need to tell you about the Eternal Sword."

"The Eternal Sword?" Lloyd asked.

Kratos nodded.

"It's a sword crafted by Origin, Yggdrasill used its power to split the world in two,"

"Wait, so if that's how he did it..." Raine trailed.

"Then that must mean if we get it when can put it back!" Genis said.

Kratos nodded.

"Exactly," he stated.

"Eternal Sword...? Wait! Wasn't that that thing in the tower?" Lloyd asked. "The purple thing that was stuck in the ground?

Was that the Eternal Sword?"

"Come to think of it, I do remember seeing something like that..." Regal said.

"What? That's ridiculous! No one would leave something THAT important in a place like that!" Zelos scoffed.

"Regardless, it is the Eternal Sword," Kratos said, "that blade is the key to your goals."

"...But?" Colette asked, frowning.

"...Only half-elves are capable of wielding it,"

"Well, that's no problem! Raine or Genis-"

"Lloyd, are you crazy?" Genis scoffed.

"I doubt Genis or I could handle a sword," Raine stated.

"What? But-"

"There is a way for a human to wield the sword," Kratos spoke up again, "but in order to do that we must obtain Aionis,

which unfortunately can only be found on Derris-Kharlan."

"What? But we were just there! How come you didn't-?" Sheena started.

"I was about to lead you to it before I passed out," Kratos said disdainfully, "unfortunately, when I came to again I was not

in a position to aid you in that manner."

"Oh...well that sucks," Genis said.

"So we have to go back?"

"That's another problem," Kratos said, "Mithos will have no doubt increased security. I doubt we will be able to re-enter

Derris-Kharlan without being captured."

"So...what do we do?" Colette asked.

"...As far as I see it, we have two options," Kratos said, "one, we could look for Yuan, he may know of a way to bypass the

security. Two, we could perform a quick and powerful raid. Get in, get what we need, and then get out. Though we may not

have enough time to get the furkiol too, after all, we need it if Lloyd is-...What?"

Everyone was staring at him like idiots.

"...What did I say?" Kratos asked coldly.

"W-when you said Lloyd...it's just kind of weird, because you look just like him, and you were sounding just like him right

there so..." Genis stammered nervously.

"I can't take much more of this!" Zelos cried, bashing his head against the table.

"Well, all things considered, it would be best to see if we could locate Yuan," Raine said as she crossed her arms, "the

second alternative just seems too risky."

"Where would we find him, though?" Lloyd asked.

"...I think I have an idea," Kratos said after a minute.

"Really?"

Kratos nodded.

"Yes," he trailed a bit, "you all should finish breakfast first before we leave."

"Great! I'm starving!" Zelos said.

Kratos eyed Zelos a minute before he headed for the door.

"Huh? Where are you going?" Colette asked.

"...Just out, I'll be back in a minute or two,"

Kratos headed outside and Raine almost stopped him to question the behavior before Lloyd stopped her. He had a feeling

what it was his father was doing and felt it best he was left his time. Kratos pushed open the door to the outside world

and flinched at the cold air that rushed to meet his face. The ex-Seraph inhaled deeply and then smiled to himself.

Cold air always seemed fresher than warm air, or at least, that was how he remembered it. Slowly he stepped out into the

sunlight and closed the door behind him as the light fell onto his face. It was warm, really warm considering how the frigid

cold was biting at his cheeks. He brought his hands up to his cheeks and rubbed them and his breath escaped in a vapor.

Wonderful. It was so wonderful to feel everything again... Another smile invaded his features and stretched so it was

almost a grin as he felt the crunch of the icy beneath him vibrate up through his legs and his feet become enveloped in the

cold. Strange...what else could he feel that he hadn't? Maybe if they went somewhere warmer he could put his feet in the

water and feel the current around his toes... Oh! Or maybe better yet, if they could find a beach he could walk on the sand!

The sand always felt so good under his feet- or...that's how he remembered it at least. He swallowed and still tasted the

trace amounts of bacon and coffee in his mouth, almost laughing with delight.

He breathed out to see the vapor his breath made, then degloved one hand to run his fingers through the warm mist of his

air. Mist felt weird too...

SPLAT!

Kratos froze, his eyes wide in shock at the clod of snow that had just pelted the side of his face. Freezing water slid down

into his shirt and his eye twitched from the flecks of ice slipping through the protection of its lids. He whirled his head

around to see Lloyd and Genis staring at him a fair distance away. The two males gaped at Kratos like idiots before

instantly pointing at one another, still gaping at Kratos as if he had grown another head.

"...Which one of you threw that?" he hissed darkly.

"LLOYD DID IT-!"

"No I didn't-!"

"Lloyd, we all know Genis doesn't have aim that precise,"

"Exactly! Lloyd did it!" Genis cried, making a break for it.

"Hold on!" Lloyd grabbed the back of his shirt. "You're the one who told me to do it-!"

"HAH! See, he admitted it! Lemme go-!!" the half-elf panicked.

"Why you little-!" Lloyd snarled.

SPLAT!

"..." Lloyd blinked, clearing some of the snow off his eyes.

"...You deserved that," Kratos stated simply, wiping the snow off his hands.

"Oh that is so it!!" Lloyd snapped.

Genis watched in a daze as Lloyd- who looked like Kratos, and Kratos- who looked like Lloyd, began to throw snow at one

another. Surprisingly, Kratos was very good at it. Something about the way he threw, ducked and scooped snow gave

Genis the distinct feeling that at one time in his life, the angel was an accomplished snowball warrior.

"HAH!" Lloyd laughed after hitting Kratos in the gut. "How's THAT-? MMPH-!!"

"Hah," Kratos smirked, having nailed Lloyd right in the mouth.

"BLEGH!" Lloyd spat out the snow. "G-geez! That was harsh!"

"Blame your fate," Kratos stated simply.

"Ow..." Lloyd rubbed his jaw.

"You brought it upon yourself," Kratos stated, "why did you throw that first one anyway?"

"I...didn't think it'd actually hit you," Lloyd admitted, "I was just trying to get your attention."

"...I see," the 'teen' muttered.

"...Your lips are turning blue again," Lloyd pointed.

"Oh? Are they?" Kratos frowned. "...I'm cold again...heh..."

He closed his eyes and smiled softly.

"W-woah-! ...Why are you smiling?!" Lloyd asked.

"Hm?" Kratos looked at him. "...Because...I can, I suppose."

He flinched. Because he could? He could taste, he could feel, he could sleep...he enjoyed them all immensely simply

because he could. ...He could smile, too, couldn't he? Then he could...also grin. So he did, causing Lloyd to almost go into

cardiac arrest on the spot.

"I apologize, Lloyd," he said as he grinned, "I'm...not myself today. It's a nice improvement, isn't it?"

So he took advantage of Lloyd's moment of shock by throwing another snowball at him.

"Isn't it a great day?" Kratos sighed in contentment, still grinning.

Lloyd twitched. Oh no, Kratos had totally lost it.

...Though it didn't seem to be that bad a thing, really...

...Still creepy.

"You're being oddly silent," Kratos mused.

"Hmph," Lloyd snorted.

Both of them stared at each other in horror.

"...ARGH! I NEED TO GET BACK TO NORMAL!" Lloyd cried, clutching his head.

"..." Kratos blanched, "...y-yes...you're...that's probably for the best."

Lloyd moaned and Kratos could only twitch as one thought kept coming back at him:

'I hope I can sneak some popcorn later...'

**Yeeeeeessssss Kratos, enjoy yourself, yeeeeeeeeesssss...**

**Colette: They're acting weird...I think I'm a little worried.**

**Me: Oh no, don't be worried. X3 Eheheheheehh...**

**Colette:...Now I know I am...review please?**


	12. Ocean Side

**Smorbkle. **

**Colette: Um...what?**

**Me: Nothing. n.n'**

**Colette: Um... Freakyanimegal owns nothing!**

**Sorry if the quality is bad, I have to use my old computer because my new one won't work on fanfiction right now...darn it. This one is so slow.**

**Ocean Side**

Kratos growled a bit to himself as he attempted to, for the seventh time, put his hair back down in its original position. He snorted a bit as it

stubbornly stuck to what it was currently, swearing that he would never put a comb to his head again unless he knew who had it last.

"Are you really sure he'd be around here?" Colette asked.

"Yes," Kratos stated, "this is the most likely spot."

"Yeah, but...why Izoold?" Lloyd asked.

Indeed, the group found themselves galavanting around the fishing village attempting to spot a blue-haired half-elven man by the name of Yuan. Why they were looking around a place such as this, no one was really quite sure, but Kratos persisted.

"Do not attempt to understand Yuan," Kratos said, "in four thousand years I still can not understand half the things he does."

"He's that bad, huh?" Zelos asked.

Kratos nodded curtly before surveying the area once more.

"Why does it always have to be near the ocean...?" Raine shuddered, looking out at the waves.

"Professor, one of the bases is in the desert," Presea said.

"I- I know that! It's just-!"

Kratos tuned them out, still looking around the area while trying to stay focused. The sea breeze felt so soothing, the faint taste of salt drifting off

the waters in the vapors of the air. The sun a comforting warmth in contrast to the cold of the powerful breezes, as if they were competing on those

walking whether they would be warmed, cooled, or partly warm and partly cold all at once- There.

"This way," Kratos stated.

The group followed him to the large terrace that jutted out over the ocean, built along a cliff-side which turned the structure into an outcropping of

some sort.

"What? But there's nothing here," Sheena said.

Lloyd looked around and then noticed the rock wall that made up one side of the terrace, the cliff-wall. Something was a bit off about that wall, for

some reason. He couldn't really tell why, but it was just...off. He walked up to the cliff-face and ran his fingers along it. His new gloves allowed for the

skin of his fingertips to make contact with the rock, feeling along the surface as if he would be able to find it-

Hey...

"This spot..." Lloyd blinked, tapping it, "it's...hollow."

"What?" Zelos asked, knocking on it. "Feels pretty solid to me."

"Yeah..." Genis did likewise, "you sure you're not imagining it, Lloyd?"

"I am sure!" Lloyd said. "I can feel it...it's hollow past here!"

"It looks very sturdy...." Raine commented.

"No, Lloyd's right," Kratos stated.

Everyone turned to look at him.

"...Yuan is rather...nefarious for having little escapes like this," he stated, "I remember this one in particular because it is the only one Mithos does

not know about."

"How can you be sure of that? And you mean to say this is a hiding spot?" Raine asked skeptically.

"Yes, on both counts," Kratos nodded, walking up to the wall, "...now... If I could just remember..."

The swordsman frowned slightly and began to observe the rock....

"..." he snorted, "...we're going to have to break it down. Lloyd."

"Huh?" Lloyd blinked.

"Do you remember what I taught you with 'Demon Fang'?"

Lloyd (for once in his life) had a 'ding!' moment.

"Oh! I got you," he grinned, "okay everybody, stand back."

He pulled out his swords and the group retreated beside or behind him. Kratos stood to his right.

"In order to open a usable pathway, I'd say you'll need about three," the Seraph stated.

"Three, got it," Lloyd nodded, "okay...DEMON FANG!"

The sword force went flying and then cleaved cleanly through the rock wall. Some of the members of the group who had of course not seen this done

on rock before, widened their eyes in surprise.

"Now, one diagonally on that line from each side," Kratos stated.

"Got it! DEMON FANG!"

Two.

"DEMON FANG!"

Three...

"Now one last one, right in the middle," Kratos stated.

Lloyd performed the technique a final time and the wall crumbled, revealing what appeared to be a long hallway constructed of much sturdier,

metallic looking material most often found in the bases of Yuan's organization. Lloyd for one, was proud of himself. He had executed it perfectly,

seeing now that the wall had been quite thick as a matter of fact...a couple feet, at the least. He grinned as he sheathed his swords.

"Oh cool," he said, "Yuan's got a secret place here too!"

"I said that, were you not listening?" Kratos muttered blandly.

Lloyd glared at him before they followed the his look-alike into the structure, the ribbons taking on a ghostly shade from the few dim lights that were

strung in the tunnel; looking like vibrant white snakes sailing through the air before them. After a minute they came to a door of some sort which

Kratos knocked his fist against.

"Yuan! Yuan, I know you're there! Open up!" he said, raising his voice.

"Are you sure he'd be here?" Raine asked again.

"This is the only place that is completely hidden from Mithos, it has to be," Kratos said, "...Yuan!"

There were sounds before the door slid open, a rather exhausted and rumpled looking Yuan standing in the doorway. His hair was a muss, his outfit

not the neat and trim standard as usual and the look in his eyes said clearly he had been under a lot of stress in a short amount of time.

"Kratos, what are-?..."

Yuan observed Kratos a minute, then Lloyd, then back.

"...Any particular reason you appear to be trying to look like your son?"

Kratos glared.

"Uh...yeah, we didn't have anything else for him to wear, then Genis and I kinda...messed with his hair and then...well, we couldn't put it back to

normal..." Lloyd laughed nervously.

Yuan stared a minute before he smirked.

"That is so messed up it's hilarious,"

Kratos' glare intensified, causing his ancient companion to laugh.

"All right, don't look at me like that," he smirked, "come in."

For being underground, the place certainly did not feel like it. The place was well lit, various plants place here and there and a hologram of some sort

played on the ceiling giving it the appearance of a blue sky. The place was otherwise decorated in a very plain style with only functional furniture

such as a desk, bed, and the like. Though based on the doors lined up, the place was bigger than the mere room they stood in.

"You need my help to get back into Derris-Kharlan, am I right?"

Kratos nodded.

"I assumed you'd have a way,"

"Well, lucky for you I do," Yuan nodded, "I guess now that Mithos knows the truth about what I've been doing, the only way to save Martel is to

work with the lot of you."

"You do?" Lloyd said. "That's great! We'd be in trouble if you didn't..."

"Yeah, well, problem," the ex-Seraph crossed his arms, "I have a way, but it won't exactly be easy. There are traps going all the way up to Derris-

Kharlan, and all the way down to the great seed as well. If you want a hope of getting there in one piece-"

"You'll just have to come along with us, then," Kratos said.

"Huh?" Lloyd looked down at his father.

"Yuan is the mastermind behind all the structures and technology behind Cruxis," Kratos said, "it was many many years ago, of course, but he still

did design and build them."

"Anything Mithos may have changed I can get around," Yuan stated with a proud smirk, "that little twerp couldn't outsmart me then, I won't let him

outsmart me now."

"He outsmarted you by joining us though, didn't he?" Genis said.

Yuan flinched.

"Th-that's...that is not important, be quiet,"

"OO! BURNAGE ON THE SERAPH!" Zelos laughed.

Sheena smacked Zelos.

"So you'll help us?"

"Yes," Yuan nodded, "if we're lucky, we should manage to get both the aionis and the furkiol."

"Great!"

"But..." Yuan sighed, "...we should take a while to prepare. This isn't going to be a cakewalk."

He stopped a minute.

"Wait a minute, how did you all get inside anyway?"

Kratos looked away and Lloyd began to rub the back of his neck.

"Uh...well..." he chuckled nervously, "...I kinda broke the rock."

Yuan's eye twitched.

"You did WHAT?! You-! You IDIOT! Now I have to go and repair the entrance!"

"I-I'm sorry! We- Kratos told me to!"

"Thank you ever so much," Kratos said flatly.

"Kratos-!"

"I saw no other way of gaining entry, I apologize," he stated coldly.

Yuan stared.

"...Yeah, that kinda weirded us out too," Sheena said, referring to the Kratos-that-looks-like-Lloyd-being-kratosy situation, "you get used to it."

"Well...whatever," he sighed, "I'll be right back, the rest of you rest up and we'll head back to Tethe'alla tomorrow. I have plenty of supplies here,

feel free to take what you need."

With that the half-elf left the miniature base of sorts, leaving the group alone. After taking some more glances at the Aurions they began to split up

to either gather supplies, rest, or raid the fridge. In fact, many of them took the last option; Yuan had a pretty decent variety of food. Kratos busied

himself by gathering supplies, noticing things he hadn't noticed in centuries. He could smell before, of course; the citrus smell of orange and lemon

gels did not escape him before, the thing was before they were just...smells. Nothing important. Now the smells actually made his mind wander to

food, and his stomach did respond in turn with mild gurgles. So strange...

"Hey..."

He looked up at Lloyd, who fidgeted where he stood.

"Uh...mind if I talk to you while we get stuff?" he asked.

Kratos nodded.

"...Right..."

Lloyd began to gather items for his own pack, shooting glances at his father every few seconds. He looked down at their hands as they selected

between holy bottles, panacea bottles and lifebottles. His hands were larger than Kratos', as Kratos' had been larger than his when the journey

began. It just seemed so unbearably odd that...well, everything seemed odd now. Lloyd bit his lip after a minute and then began to speak.

"You were born here," Kratos said.

Lloyd stopped.

"What?" he said, looking at his father.

"...You were born here," Kratos muttered, his eyes still on the supplies, "...when Anna and I were on the run...Yuan let us stay here for a while. We

lived in this place for a few weeks when she went into labor..."

Lloyd had totally disregarded the supplies by now, staring at his father in a trance.

"...I..." Kratos trailed, his hands having stopped moving about the goods as well, "...I first looked at you here..."

"...Here? As in...here? In this building?" Lloyd gaped at him.

Kratos nodded slowly.

"Yes,"

"...Can you show me?"

Kratos meet his eyes and Lloyd almost shuddered. They really did have the same face...though Kratos' had a tint of red Lloyd didn't possess. It didn't

matter, though, not really.

"...Of course,"

Kratos turned and began heading for the door to the supply room, Lloyd following quickly after. The elder (Sort of) angel lead Lloyd into another hall

and to the furthest room in. At the door Lloyd noticed Kratos stopped, hesitant. Lloyd himself was sort of...numb. He was excited in the sense he

wanted to see where he was born, and at the same time feeling as if he was about to see something truly special; that to see the very sport where

you entered the world could be something quite profound.

"In here," Kratos said simply.

They opened the door and it revealed what appeared to be a small infirmary of some sort, four beds lined up against the walls. Lloyd looked around

in a bit of an awe as Kratos smirked softly, muttering something about it not having changed. He pointed to one in the far left.

"There," he said simply.

Lloyd walked up to the bed slowly, as if it were an animal he was trying not to frighten. After a minute he put his hand down on the bed; as if merely

touching it could enlighten one's existence.

Where he was born...

"...I never knew," he said, "...I never knew where I was born, you know."

"...I'm sorry," Kratos said.

"No, it's okay," Lloyd shook his head, "it's not your fault."

They stood there in silence for what felt like hours, Lloyd immersed in the simple setting before him.

"...It's...amusing," Kratos began softly, "...there were hardly ever Renegades here, seeing as it was more of Yuan's private hiding hole. So...when

Anna had you, Yuan and I were the only ones here. I...I am not the best with doctoral things outside of wounds, whereas Yuan always seemed to be

the epitome of a scholar in anything. ....Yuan helped deliver you."

Lloyd stared at him.

"That's why he's your god-father," Kratos smiled weakly.

"My WHAT?"

"Ironic, isn't it?" he sighed. "With all that's happened..."

"...Wow," Lloyd said simply, "...just wow."

"...We should get back to the others," Kratos said after a minute.

"...Hey, could you...tell me more about when...when I was little? Or about Mom? What she was like?"

Kratos looked at him a minute before he smiled softly, his eyes seeming to smile as well.

"...I'd be glad to,"

* * *

"All right, here's the plan,"

Everyone crowded around Yuan as he called them to attention, those that were able taking seats that were situated around the main room. The

Seraph cleared his throat.

"There's a passage into the tower I can lead you to," he started, "if your goal is to obtain the aionis and the furkiol you'll have to use the warp pad

that will lead you into the tower."

"We're going to go into the tower again?" Lloyd moaned.

"Yes, but there's an emergency transporter located in there that can send you directly into Mithos' palace," Yuan said, his face holding the stern

expression, "Kratos knows where to get it from there, but then there's the problem: It's Mithos' palace. At the very least you'll encounter incredibly

heavy guard, if you don't run into Mithos himself."

Lloyd frowned, making him look even more alarmingly like Kratos.

"So..." he said slowly, "do you have any idea how to get around it?"

"Unfortunately, no," Yuan shook his head.

"So that's it then..." Lloyd frowned, "okay, we're going to have to make this good. Hit 'em hard and fast, get what we need, then get out. ...But..."

"But?" Colette asked.

"...After that, I doubt Mithos is just going to let us get the Eternal Sword and waltz out,"

"That's the other thing," Yuan crossed his arms, "...if you even want to take the sword..."

"...Mithos will have to be eliminated," Kratos finished.

Silence fell.

"...You are right," Yuan sighed, rubbing his forehead, "....the little twerp is going to have to be disposed of."

"...So...we're going to have to kill him," Lloyd repeated, "...we're going to have to finish this once and for all, aren't we?"

"...To put it simply, yes,"

"Are we ready for that?" Zelos raised an eyebrow.

"We're as ready as we'll ever be," Genis pointed out.

"...We'll leave first thing in the morning," Yuan stated, "I'll lead you in and try to create a diversion in Welgaia."

"Won't that be risky?" Raine asked.

"This whole thing is 'risky'," his eyes narrowed, "I'm not in the best shape to fight Mithos right now, so I'll do whatever else I can do."

"...All right, everyone get some rest," the Professor said.

Kratos frowned and then looked down at his hand, flexing it. He wasn't going to be as good like this, he knew it.. Well, at least he knew he could still

fight, that was something. ...Perhaps he should get a few more quick rounds in...

"...Hey,"

Lloyd had been eying him.

"Uh...you're worried?" he asked, frowning slightly.

"..." Kratos nodded, "A bit."

"...Let's go outside the village and train for a little bit more," Lloyd said, "it's not dark out yet, so..."

Kratos smiled softly.

"Fine," he said, "but let's tell the others where we're going, first."

Lloyd grinned.

A few minutes later the pair was sparring in what had to be the strangest training round in their lives. Kratos was attempting to get used to the fact

he could NOT in fact jump as high, run as fast, hit as hard; whereas Lloyd was trying to make sure he fly right off the battlefield, run faster than he

intended and trip, or knock his father fifty something feet away.

THUD!

"Oh cra-! Sorry!"

Kratos spat dirt out of his mouth and wiped his face, frowning deeply.

"I must say I haven't tasted dirt in quite some time..." he muttered.

"...Didn't miss it, did you?"

"Not in the least," Kratos admitted as he stood up, "it tastes like obscenely dry brownies with a hint of earthworm."

Lloyd stared.

"...It does," he repeated in a huff.

"Right...well, okay...let's try this again..."

Kratos nodded.

"...Double Demon Fang!"

Lloyd easily wove around the attacks as Kratos sped forward, bringing his blade to collide with his son's. Lloyd deflected the single sword and went

to swipe in with the second when Kratos ducked under the blade and attempted to bring the hilt up under Lloyd's shoulder to wound his joint, which

he almost succeeded in when the 'elder' swerved and brought his weapons down again, Kratos blocking and entering a stalemate... Then Lloyd

knocked him back, the sword flinging out of Kratos' hand.

"..."

"...Woah," Lloyd said simply.

"...Hmph,"

"...I know you could've counter-attacked-"

"Before, I had the physical strength needed to survive a stalemate break," Kratos stated as he picked up his weapon, "yours over powers mine as

things are, the more skilled opponent may not necessarily win against one in better physical shape."

"O-oh..." Lloyd said.

"...But you are right, normally I could have,"

"Heh," Lloyd smirked, "you're still full of yourself."

"And you aren't?" Kratos tilted his head to the side.

"...Shut up,"

"Well, we should-"

Lloyd jolted violently.

"Lloyd? Lloyd, what-?"

Kratos turned in the direction of the town, his eyes going wide at the pillar of smoke billowing from the huts. The Seraph went to say something

when Lloyd charged for the town, his father following close behind him. When the village came into view they luckily did not find it totally devastated,

but the structures around Yuan's 'base' of sorts was in ruins and the people were in a panic.

"Oh no..." Lloyd whispered.

He ran for the base and found it had been blasted open, his friends in heaps at the remains.

"GUYS-!!" he cried. "Guys!"

He ran forward to the nearest one, who happened to be Genis.

"Genis! Genis, are you okay!? What happened?!"

"M-mithos...and Zelos..."

Lloyd noticed both Zelos and Colette were missing.

"...What happened?!"

"I'll tell you what happened," Yuan huffed, clutching a wound as he got to his feet, "that little wretch of a two-faced Chosen Zelos gave our location

to Mithos and then helped the brat take away the vessel!"

"Zelos handed Colette over to Mithos?!"

Kratos swore.

"So he really did have his loyalties to him..." the Seraph growled.

"I had figured he wasn't really spying for them too..." Yuan said.

Kratos jolted.

"You mean to tell me Zelos was spying for you, as well?"

"...Well-"

"Wait, what!?" Lloyd said. "Zelos-"

"Has been playing all of us like fiddles, yes," Yuan gritted his teeth.

"That-! Where'd they go!? Where'd they take Colette?!"

"The tower," Kratos stated, stern, "to the Great Seed."

"Dammit!"

"Damn that Zelos!" Sheena cried as she got to her feet, wounded as well.

"Ugh...REVITALIZE!" Raine casted.

The glow surrounded them all and healed the majority of their wounds.

"We don't have any time, we need to go after them," Regal said.

"Let's go!" Lloyd shouted.

**Smeeb. n.n...Does this count as a cliffhanger?**

**(Silence)**

**Oh yeah...Colette got kidnapped...again. Sorry. Hope you enjoyed it. n.n' I'll be wrapping it up shortly, however...I hope you guys have liked it.**

**Review please?**


	13. Traps

**n.n Chapter thirteen! My lucky number!**

**(Silence)**

**...Colette's still not here...woops. Okay then...um...**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**...I think I miss her...:( **

**Traps**

"INDIGNATION!"

Yuan's green eyes narrowed at the still oncoming hoard of angels that were descending on him. Damn it, he had to be the 'noble' one here and

go up to Derris-Kharlan alone to get the damn materials... Oh well, it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. Mithos and the rest of the serious

threats would be done below with the seed. ...He only hoped the traps didn't slow them too much. He gritted his teeth as another angel

underling swiped at him.

"You are not going to be proud of that," he snarled as he slashed him in two.

He'd just have to deal with it and hope for the best...

* * *

"DAMMIT!"

Lloyd slammed his fist into the wall, angered that they had to have left both Regal and Sheena behind. The others looked at him before the

brunette forced himself to shake it off and head further in.

"Those two had better be all right," Lloyd growled as they pressed ahead.

"I'm sure they'll be fine, right?" Genis said. "They can both take care of themselves..."

"..." Kratos glanced away, "we should keep an eye out for any further traps, however."

"Agreed," Presea stated.

"Hm..." Raine bit her lip.

The next floor they entered had a large piece of machinery in the center. Raine dashed over to it and managed to open the first door...then

part of the floor fell in.

"Sis-!" Genis said.

"I'm fine, just an input error! I'm opening the next one!"

She did so and a monster appeared when the door raised.

"Another input error?!" Lloyd said.

"Just defeat it!"

Within a few seconds the monster was dead and Raine opened the next one...and the floor fell.

"Professor Sage! I knew it!" Lloyd said.

"Raine-!" Genis cried.

"You don't have time to worry about this! There's another one!"

Lloyd growled and they went to work killing the new monster. Once it was defeated they turned back down the hall where one piece of flooring

still connected Raine to them...and it feel through.

"This room is going to collapse..." Raine said, "go, you need to save Colette."

"But-!" Genis protested, tears forming in his eyes.

"Or..." Lloyd's eyes narrowed.

He focused a minute and for the second time drew the red wings from his back, the remaining three with him drew back as Lloyd managed to

dash over, grab Raine, and dashed back to the rest of them as chunks of the ceiling began to fall. Looking pleased with himself, Lloyd dismissed

the wings and then dashed for the warp pad with his friends in tow. Once they had managed to appear on the second floor, Genis clung to

Raine like freaking glue.

"Sis! Don't do that again! You scared me!" he cried.

"Genis...I..." Raine said softly.

"...That was good thinking on Lloyd's part," Presea said.

"I wasn't going to let someone else go," Lloyd flushed, "and I figured...I had them, why not use them, right?"

Kratos nodded.

"Yes, I was about to remind you of them myself, actually..." he trailed.

"Don't you have yours anymore?" Lloyd asked.

Kratos slowly shook his head.

"The Cruxis Crystal I originally used to incite my own angelic transformation is no longer attached to me," he stated, "and since the furkiol

reverted me back, I've lost the wings as well as the other angelic traits."

"Oh..."

"Ahem," Raine coughed, "...thank you, Lloyd, but don't you think we should-?"

"Oh! That's right! Come on! Let's go!" Lloyd said. "Oh, and Professor?"

"Yes?"

"Never do that again," he said sternly, Genis nodding in agreement.

"..All right," Raine smiled softly.

"Time is short, let's get going," Kratos said, walking off.

And so they were off again. After another frightening run-in with a tree root that had snagged Presea, they had certainly been on edge. She

had told them not to get near her, but as with Raine Lloyd refused to let her go and hacked at the roots restraining her. The five of them

seemed to be almost in the clear when they made it to a hall intersection...

"Wait," Kratos said, "...nobody move."

"What? What is it?" Lloyd asked.

"...Get to the wall!!"

Lloyd and Kratos jumped to one side as the Sages and Presea went to the other, just as a large wall slammed down in between them, cutting

them off from the other group.

"What the-?!" Lloyd shouted.

Kratos yanked Lloyd forward just as another wall closed off the way the had came, earning yet more yelps and shouts of surprise from both

groups on either side of the wall.

"Whoah-!" Genis cried from the other side.

"Is everyone all right?" Raine's voice called.

"Y-yeah! We're fine on this side!" Lloyd said.

"No damage on this one," Presea reported.

"We'll have to continue down the hall," Kratos stated, "eveyone be on the look out for anything else. We will have to hope the path rejoins at

some point further down."

"All right then, let's be careful," Raine answered.

With little choice left, they continued down their paths on either side before Lloyd and Kratos came to a path that branched off to the left

(having been on the left side of the wall).

"The path splits here!" Lloyd cried.

"Same here!" Genis said. "We're going to have to split up..."

"Maybe I can just break the wall like I did last time?" Lloyd considered.

"Don't bother," Kratos stated, "this material is too strong even for you."

"So...we don't have a choice?" Lloyd's face fell.

"...We have no better option as of now," Kratos told him.

"Don't worry, we'll be fine," Raine said from the other side, "we'll try to meet up later."

"...Right, be careful,"

"Same to you two,"

So with mild reluctance they went their separate ways, Lloyd worrying for the sake of his friends as Kratos continued to scan the area for any

more unpleasant surprises of the like. It wasn't long before they came across another warp panel which lead them into a large, barren room.

"...Okay, this one just screams 'trap'," Lloyd huffed.

"Yes," Kratos looked around, "...but of what nature?"

"Hm..." Lloyd bit his lip.

Something appeared in a flash of light in the middle of the room.

"What the...? What is that-?" Lloyd started.

"RUN!" Kratos shouted.

"Huh-!?"

Both swordsmen leapt aside as the mass of light hurled two tentacles at them, one reaching for Lloyd and the other for his father. They both

evaded the first attempt but the strings of light only pursued them more vigorously, chasing them around the room.

"What is this thing!?" Lloyd said.

"Just keep trying for the exit!" Kratos snapped at him.

Lloyd avoided the strings while heading for the back, not having much difficulty due to his current state; Kratos on the other hand had quite the

opposite situation. A strand grabbed him.

"D-!"

Lloyd hesitated just enough to get snared as well.

"Hey-! AGH!"

The tendril curled around his neck, its partner doing the same to Kratos. It held both of them tightly but surprisingly did not increase the

pressure in means to kill them. It wasn't strangling them, but it would not let them go either...it wasn't really doing anything.

"What is this thing?" Lloyd shouted.

"It's a mana-based trap Mithos constructed with the Eternal Sword," Kratos growled, "it's..."

"What is it?"

"...It will kill one of us," Kratos said simply, "depending on how we answer."

"What-?"

_Why did you leave me?_

Both Kratos and Lloyd visibly flinched, Kratos with horror and Lloyd in shock. The voice that echoed through them sounded like Lloyd's normal

voice, exactly like it...

"W-what the hell was that?!"

"...It...takes a question one truly wants to ask the other and asks it," Kratos said simply, "...if I answer truthfully it will not injure me, if I lie..."

Lloyd's eyes widened.

"...Kratos, don't you dare-"

"I left you because I hated you," Kratos said.

A surge of electricity went through Lloyd's body. Kratos' eyes widened and Lloyd shouted in pain.

"What-?" Kratos paled.

"Agh-! I-! I thought you said...?" Lloyd trailed.

The dual swordsman went wide eyed at his father. Wait...if he told the truth, the other guy got hurt? ...Did...did that mean Kratos just told the

truth? Did that mean he...?

"Lloyd! Are you all right?" Kratos cried.

"...You hated me?" Lloyd whispered.

"What? No! Of course not, it-!"

He hated him...? He was left because his father hated him? Kratos...hated....?

_Why don't you want to call me 'Dad'?_

This time, Kratos' normal voice rang through the air, both males flinching once more.

"...Because....I...because I already have a father," Lloyd said, "and he isn't it."

Kratos' heart sunk in his chest- right before he let out a shout of pain, electricity coursing through is body. Lloyd's eyes widened as his father

began to pant in an attempt to catch his breath once more.

"It hurts the other guy if you LIE!" the dual swordsman shouted.

"What...? You lied?" Kratos said.

"You did too..." Lloyd was flooded with a brief sense of relief, happiness...then fear, "wait! You lied because you thought it would hurt you and

not me?!"

Kratos glanced aside.

"You bastard! You were trying to-?"

_Would you really give your life for me?_

Lloyd choked as his younger voice echoed the question in his head.

"..." Kratos locked eyes with him from across the room, "...yes."

There was another burst of electric mana as Kratos' body jolted in pain, letting out a shout that echoed through the large chamber as Lloyd

watched on in a numb horror.

_Would you ever be able to forgive me for what I've done?_

Lloyd heard his father's voice as the real one shouted in pain, sparks of electricity streaming in and out and around his body. Lloyd quickly

blurted out his answer.

"Yes! Yes, I would!" Lloyd said.

The electricity stopped around Kratos and started on Lloyd. Kratos saw this and tried to shout something out, his throat failing from the recent

pain.. Then he managed to belt it out of his lungs.

"GIVE HIM ALL THE QUESTIONS!" Kratos yelled at the mass of light in the middle.

_What happened when Mom died?_

The pain stopped on Lloyd when his own voice echoed the question again. Lloyd gaped.

"...What? What are you-?"

"This is a torture device," Kratos explained, his voice cracking, "usually one in this situation would yell that in order to save themselves...thus it

does the opposite..."

Lloyd's eyes widened.

"D-!!"

"I killed her," Kratos stated, "her exsphere was removed and I killed her."

Once again, thousands of volts coursed through is body as his son looked on in horror.

_You...did you..did you want to kill her?_

"...Hff...hfff..." Kratos panted, the shock having died down.

"W-wait! Why did it skip me?! Da-!" Lloyd stammered.

"No, a thousand times over, no, I would...I would rather it have been me...me who died..." Kratos whispered, "I would rather I had died a

million times, all more painfully than she did, over and over again..."

_Do I have a middle name? What is it?_

Kratos managed to choke out a half-hearted laugh, Lloyd flushing slightly, embarrassed despite being shocked at what his father confessed.

"It's Tyler," Kratos cracked a half-smile, "I named you...Lloyd Tyler Aurion...."

Lloyd tried to say something but was interrupted again as Kratos received another shock treatment.

"S-stop! Stop it! It's okay! Lie! Lie!!" Lloyd cried.

_If you knew I was still alive after Mom died, would you have come for me?_

This time Kratos did not manage to reply immediately, his face downcast and his hair falling back over his face as it had done before. His body

twitched dangerously from the electric shocks and if the tendril hadn't been holding him up Lloyd was sure he would've been on his knees.

"I..." he panted, "I would have... I would have gotten you back...no matter what...."

"DAD! STOP IT!"

Another shock coursed through Kratos, even more violent than the last, the Seraph's screams echoing in the chamber and continually in Lloyd's

ears. Lloyd's thoughts raced. He had to save him! There had to be a way around this trap! He had to get him out! He wasn't going to let Kratos

kill himself to save him! He wasn't going to-!

_Do you love me?_

As much as he tried not to, Lloyd's thoughts came to an abrupt halt. That question...he wanted the answer to that question, he did, but... But

not now! Not when it could kill his father! He could ask later, later! Later when he wouldn't have to get hurt-!

"I..." Kratos barely opened his mouth.

"Dad! Stop it! Stop answering it!" Lloyd shouted.

Kratos looked up and locked his exhausted eyes on his son, the wine orbs seeming to mist somewhat as they bored into the watered brown

ones. They held the gaze for what felt like eons, Lloyd begging his father to remain silent, begging him to live.

"...More than anything," Kratos said.

"DAD!!"

A final course of electricity wracked Kratos' body as Lloyd watched on, unable to even feel the fear he knew he should be feeling for the sake of

his father. Shouts and the sounds of the crackling mana obscured his senses before the tendrils and the mass connected to them dissipated

into the air, the spiky haired teenager falling towards the floor. Lloyd ran as fast as he could to catch him before he hit the floor, falling open-

eyed and pale into his arms.

"Dad-! DAD! Dad, say something! Dad!"

Kratos closed his eyes, mumbling three words again as he did so.

"More than anything..." he whispered again.

"DAD!!!!"

**Wow, how's that for angsty fluff on your hides? n.n' I know, I know, I'd want to gut me alive too...but I had so much fun doing that part **

**it's not even right. I'll update soon, I'm sorry it's short but again I'm not doing this on length. (wink) **

**Review without threatening me and I promise it'll be updated soon! ..Please don't hurt me? (Puppy eyes)**


	14. End of Mithos

**Well, let's get back to the angst, shall we? n.n'**

**Disclaimer: I still own nothing, people.**

**Note: I've fixed some things that weren't good enough...(mutters) Bad Freaky, no cutting corners...**

**End of Mithos**

"DAD!"

Lloyd shouted again, shaking him as the 'teens' head lolled back and forth, falling limp like a rag doll. Lloyd gaped at his father in horror, his

body beginning to shake by itself. No...he couldn't have just... It wasn't... It wasn't fair! It wasn't right! It wasn't fair! It WASN'T FAIR!!

He swallowed as he felt warm tears slip down his cheeks, his eyesight going somewhat blurry. His teeth clenched, beginning to shake with

anger now in conjunction with the sorrow.

That...! This...! DAMN IT ALL! THIS WASN'T-!

Then suddenly, he felt something hard hit him right in the back of the skull.

"Agh-!"

He lurched forward and then instantly turned to face his attacker-

And saw Kratos standing there holding his sword, having hit him with the end of the hilt.

Lloyd's eyes widened, his mouth falling open.

"W-what...?" he choked. "But-!"

"You...idiot..."

Just then Lloyd noted Kratos was barely standing, breathing short and choppy as his limbs quivered. Lloyd gaped and then looked back where

he could've sworn Kratos had just been-...and saw nothing. He looked back, gaping like an idiot, when the Kratos that had hit him collapsed

back onto the ground, landing in a sitting position.

"Hff...hff...are you all right?" he asked wearily, looking at him.

"What...what the hell was that?! What's going on-!?"

"It lured you into an illusion..." he panted, "damn double-edge Mithos must have- agh-!"

Kratos curled up and then ended laying on his stomach on the floor.

"D-!"

"I'm not dead, at least..." he coughed from the floor, "...though I have no idea how I..."

"Don't talk, it's all right," Lloyd said, lifting him up off his face to turn him on his back, supporting him so he was somewhat in an upright

position, "...hold on, I have an elixir in here..."

He began to search through his pack while Kratos twitched. Lloyd flinched. The illusion of his death had been bad enough, but as things were

he might still... No! He wasn't going to let that happen! He didn't want to feel that, not ever again! That damn fake had given him enough of a

heart-attack added to the humiliation, thank you very much!

"Here," Lloyd said, "take it..."

Kratos complied and then gagged a bit, coughing.

"I forgot how awful that stuff tastes..." he muttered, grimacing.

Lloyd smiled as his father sat up by himself, shaking his head as if trying to throw out the foul flavor.

"You feel better?"

Kratos nodded.

"Yes...a bit tired, but the pain is gone..." the ex-Seraph nodded.

"Oh good..." Lloyd sighed in relief.

Whew..he was scared for a couple of minutes there... At least he was okay. Now if only his heart would stop racing....

"...Lloyd? Are you all right?"

The 'elder' shook his head and looked at the teen, blinking.

"Ah...yeah, sorry,"

Kratos frowned.

"...What did you see? Did it scare you that badly?"

"You mean you don't know what I-?" Lloyd gasped.

"What you what? I have nothing to do with whatever illusion fell on you..." he said slowly, "...are you...all right? Whatever you saw...it

didn't...hurt, you too much, did it?"

"W-wait, so...when it let you go-"

"I told you, you just spaced out...I realized what was going on and hit you,"

"...R-right...okay," Lloyd nodded, "it...it wasn't that bad. Sorry, I was just a little spooked."

"...If you're sure," Kratos said.

"Yeah, I am, don't worry about it," Lloyd sighed.

The dual swordsman couldn't decide if he felt, relieved, embarrassed, or stupid. ...Mostly the last.

"...We should hurry onward," Kratos stated, "Mithos should be up ahead."

"Right," Lloyd nodded, getting to his feet.

The two males proceeded without much further incident (though they were both even more wary for any further 'surprises') drawing nearer to

the chamber in which the Great Seed was located. Though...it was rather tense, between them as well as around them. The last thing Kratos

had said before he was trapped in the illusion rippled in his mind again and again. More than anything...he loved him more than anything?

Really? Or was that part of the illusion by then anyway? He glanced down at Kratos, who coincidentally had just glanced up at him. They both

looked away.

"There," Kratos said, "we'll have to be quick, and avoid the arrows at the end."

"Right, count of three..." Lloyd readied himself, "one..."

"Two..."

"Three!"

They raced across, Kratos a step behind the taller man before they reached the end and then swerved to the side to avoid the last trap that

was set before it. Once at the door, however, they found something rather strange. A sword, stuck in the rock....

"...This is..." Kratos trailed.

"What? What is it? Another trap?" Lloyd asked anxiously.

"No, come on, we need to go after Colette,"

"Right,"

They raced in, with Kratos' thoughts dwelling on the sword. Zelos? Zelos had opened the way for them? Not that he was complaining...as he

was now, his mana signature was not angelic and therefore could not open the door. It was a blessing, yes, but Zelos would only put that in

there... He smirked. The philanderer was going to be helping them out after all.

"Do it," Kratos head Mithos say.

"Stop right there!"

Lloyd and Kratos entered with their blades drawn, Lloyd glaring death at the half-elf. Mithos sneered.

"So you two did manage to show up anyway..." he growled, "how you got in here though..."

"Irrelevant," Kratos glared.

"Let Colette go right now!" Lloyd snapped, raising his blades.

Mithos went to attack- and then got hit by a wave of flames, followed by a quick 'Holy Lance'.

"We won't let you lay a finger on him!"

The Sage siblings had appeared from the only other entrance on the terrace above them, both having cast quickly in order to hinder Yggdrasill's

progress. Mithos quickly retaliated by hurling mana blasts at them which were deflected harmlessly by a blur of blue and black.

"Heh," Yuan smirked down at his 'boss', "I always was quicker, wasn't I?"

"Professor! Genis! Yuan!" Lloyd's expression brightened.

"...Show off," Raine muttered with a smirk at Yuan.

"It is my honor to protect a fair lady," the half-elf smirked back.

"Well thank you, knight, but the battle isn't over-"

"STOP FLIRTING!" Genis shouted, red in the face. "You haven't stopped doing that in hours!"

"Don't exaggerate, Genis, it's only been a couple of minutes- and we're not flirting!" Raine scoffed.

"Who's flirting?" a voice inquired.

From the other entrance Sheena appeared Presea and Regal in tow.

"Guys! You're okay!" Lloyd called.

"Yeah," Sheena smiled, "told you we wouldn't miss the main event."

"Damn it...! Pronyma! Keep them busy!"

"Y-yes, my Lord!"

Pronyma and several angels attempted to keep the gang at bay... The Desian Leader, though having been defeated before, put up as much a

fight as she could have. Her 'Dark Sphere' and 'Bloody Lance' attacks kept the group dodging if they were not able to stop her casting. In the

end the group reigned victorious and Pronyma fell to the floor.

It didn't matter, though, that time was just enough to get Mithos what he wanted.

"I've done it! Martel is awake!!"

"Lord Yggdrasill...it hurts...help me..." Pronyma whispered.

Her leader ignored her whimpers from the ground, ecstatic over his victory in reviving his sister.

"Mithos...Mithos please..." she choked, crawling toward his feet.

Mithos turned and glared down at her, fury in his eyes.

"Only my former companions may call me by that name! Get out of my sight!!"

Pronyma's eyes widened in horror as the man she had spent her life serving concentrated mana in his plam and then thrust it into her face, not

even giving her time to scream as her body dissolved into nothing.

"That's so cruel..." Presea whispered.

It was then that 'Colette' appeared out of the machine.

"Dearest sister, you've finally come back to me!"

"Colette...? Colette, you can't be-?" Lloyd whispered.

"Mithos...what have you done?" a voice that was not Colette's asked.

"What? Oh you mean my body...I hastened my growth to have an appearance befitting the Leader of Cruxis," he said, "wait just a moment..."

There was a flash of light in which he switched to his younger form.

"See? Is that better?" he asked.

"No, Mithos, not that..." Martel whispered, "Mithos...I've been watching you, watching everything you've done, have you..have you...?"

"Martel...?" Mithos said slowly.

"Have you forgotten? This is...this is not what we strived for," she choked, "Mithos...what you have done is wrong."

Mithos flinched, his eyes wide.

"W...what are you talking about? After I went through all of that to bring you back to us? To bring you home?"

"Mithos, please, listen to me..." she whispered, "...we did what we did to help people, all people, so everyone could live..."

She closed her eyes, shaking somewhat.

"And you...you turned your back on people just because I died... I thought...I thought you were stronger than that!"

Mithos looked as if she had smacked him.

"B-but-!"

'Colette' flung her arms around him.

"I'm so sorry, Mithos...I'm sorry I wasn't there to stop you...I'm sorry I wasn't there to keep you the same kind person you were..."

She drew back, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"My poor baby brother..." she whispered, "please...stop this, and become your old self again.."

"Martel...are you rejecting me?"

"No-"

"Even you reject me!? No..no! I won't believe that! I WON'T ALLOW THAT DO YOU HEAR ME!?"

They watched in a stunned silence as Mithos began to laugh maniacally, unable to accept what had just happened: even his sister had

'rejected' him. It was then that Zelos made his appearance by leaping down from the terrace and placing Colette's Key Crest (which had been

removed) back over the crystal.

"Wh-what are you doing!? I thought you wanted me to release you from your fate as a chosen!"

"Oh, you know what? I changed my mind," Zelos crossed his arms, "none of that will matter once we beat the living snot out of you anyway."

"Zelos!" Lloyd stared.

"That idiot helped us out of the traps," Sheena told him.

"Heh," Kratos smirked.

"Goodbye, Mithos, this is my final wish," Martel trailed.

Yuan and Kratos both flinched as Mithos let out a wail, begging his sister not to go.

"Returned this twisted world into its true form,"

"Martel-!"

"If things were going to have been like this, perhaps the elves should never have left Derris-Kharlan," Martel said sadly, "if they hadn't, people

like us would never have been born."

With that she collapsed, returning to Great Seed and freeing Colette. Needless to say, Mithos' sanity was already on its last legs. He attempted

to take the Great Seed to Derris-Kharlan, which was quickly noted and protested by Colette, who decreed Martel was crying to beg her brother

to stop his madness.

"Let's take him down!" Lloyd snapped.

"I won't let you interfere..." Mithos whispered dangerously.

There was a brief flash of light in which he regained his 'Yggdrasill' form.

"I will KILL YOU ALL!!!" he shouted.

Lloyd lunged forward, blades at the ready-

And before the rest of the group reacted, he was already engaged in a fierce one-on-one of blades and magic. His friends stood there in shock.

Lloyd was holding his own with Mithos...by himself! And not just holding his own, Mithos looked as if he might even be on the downside... After

the barrage of steel and light went on for a few seconds Mithos took to the air, growling as he glared down at them, one long cut down the

side of his face bleeding.

"Why you-!!"

"THUNDER CRASH!"

Yuan came down at his 'boss' from above with the aid of his own wings, though his attack was avoided when the blond megalomaniac warped

away and then attempted to take out Zelos.

"SHADOW!"

The summon spirit of darkness appeared and raised his hands, causing a dark aura to beat down on Mithos and block him from his path at the

red-haired chosen. Sheena poofed beside him, scoffing.

"Watch your back next time, idiot!" she scoffed.

"Aw! Why thank you my h-!"

"I don't want to have to hit you right now, but I will if I have to!"

"BARRIER!"

A layer of protective mana surrounded the group and Raine quickly began to cast another one while her younger sibling chanted 'spread'.

Mithos caught sight of this and quickly used 'retribution'.

"Gah-!"

Raine stopped casting and curled up, her face flushed with the effects of poison as was Presea and Regal. Still further Zelos and Colette felt

some of their strength drain from them.

"Recover!" Yuan chanted, the green magic flashing around Raine. "Now hurry and heal the rest of them!"

As he said that the blue-head dashed for Yggdrasill again, Kratos coming at the same target from the opposing side. There was a sudden wave

of mana from the blond which blew the Seraphim back, quickly followed by a hastily casted 'judgment'. Those who weren't quick enough to

either dodge or cast a protective spell where soon out of commission.

"Gah-!" Genis hit the floor, having been in that category.

Regal and Sheena joined him soon after, Zelos swearing loudly before going to cover for Raine as she attempted to aid her fallen companions.

Granted this opening, Lloyd charged forward again, beating the dictator back where Presea went to cleave him in two from the dorsal side.

Once again Mithos warped and Presea barely stopped herself before she possibly injured Lloyd, who had almost instantly relocated Mithos and

was after him again. The beat down proceeded until Yggdrasill's guard lowered just enough and Lloyd lifted a blade-

And then Kratos' sword pierced through the half-elf's back.

"...G...ah..." he choked up blood.

"Didn't I tell you not to touch him...?" Kratos hissed, his eyes narrowed to slits.

"..." Lloyd watched, somewhat put off by the abrupt ending to their battle.

"...Heh..."

Yggdrasill fell to the floor, reverting back to his child form seconds before he hit the ground.

"Damn you...I just...wanted my sister..." he choked, his bangs obscuring his face as his fingers clenched at the floor, "why...is that so...hard

to....ask for...?"

Kratos said nothing but watched his former pupil sadly, his eyes misted as they locked on the form of a boy who wasn't much younger than his

current body. He knew this would have to be done, but...

"...You never learned to be independent, did you...? Not ever..." he whispered.

Yuan's gaze narrowed before he snorted and glanced away.

"I can't...die...I'm going home with...my sister..." he whispered.

Then his body disappeared in a shower of bright mana.

"...Idiot," Kratos snorted.

"...Yeah," Lloyd said slowly, sheathing his swords.

"RESURRECTION!"

They turned their heads as Raine revived Genis, then went back to casting to revive the final fallen member, Regal. The young half-elf sat up

and moaned, looking around.

"...We won?" he asked.

Lloyd looked at him a minute before nodding slowly.

"Yeah, we won,"

"...Good," Genis smiled weakly.

"...We still have to destroy the crystal," Yuan said.

It was then they noticed the red gem that was laying on the floor, glinting almost innocently from the ground, such a cruel contrast to what it

held...or maybe not as cruel as most would think. It didn't matter now, really, not now. Kratos slowly picked up Mithos' crystal, a frown on his

face.

"...You idiot," he said again.

"...He-" Lloyd started.

"Mithos just wanted to be accepted, over all," Kratos said slowly, his eyes closed, "he never thought anywhere would accept him, he never

thought anyone would accept him, he thought that there would never be a place where he could live..."

"...He could've lived with us," Lloyd said, "in our world. ...Dammit..."

"...Do you want me to do it?" Yuan offered Kratos, stretching out his hand.

"...I'll-"

Kratos jolted suddenly, his eyes going wide.

"D- Kratos? What's wrong-?" Lloyd started.

There was a yelp from the 'younger' swordsman as the crystal suddenly and violently attacked to his neck, earning a coarse howl of pain from

the Aurion as he clutched at it.

"Damn it!" Yuan shouted, realizing what had happened. "Mithos that-! He's trying to possess Kratos!!"

"What?!"

"P-possess-!?"

"Oh no-!"

_Come on, 'Master'! Don't make this hard!_

"G-get-!" Kratos grunted through gritted teeth, his face scrunched up in pain.

"DAD!" Lloyd shouted.

The auburn-head's eyes snapped open.

"GET YOUR FILTHY SOUL OUT OF ME!!" Kratos shouted loudly, startling all those present.

_Why you-! WHAT?! I-! What the-!?_

Mithos' voice was suddenly silenced, to everyone's shock, when Kratos fell onto his knees still clutching at the crystal and a figure began to

form itself out of mana behind him. A floating male with four arms manifested itself and Yuan gawked like an idiot.

"ORIGIN!?"

_That is enough _it said.

Reaching one arm down it stuck a hand through Kratos and then pulled the ghostly image of Mithos out, holding the half-elven 'boy' by the neck

as he struggled to release himself from the spirit's grip.

_W-what?! How did you!?_

Origin smirked.

_Goodbye, Old Master of the Pact,_

_You can't-! AGH!!_

Mithos let out a final shout as he dissipated into nothingness, Origin taking a more solid form before them. The group gaped like idiots before

Raine finally spoke up, shocked.

"Origin-? YOU are Origin? But I thought you were sealed-"

"I was," Origin smirked, proud of himself.

"He's the King of Summon Spirits?!" Lloyd gawked, staring.

"How did you get out? I thought Kratos needed to release the seal in order to-" Yuan started.

"The seal was made when he was 'older'," Origin smirked, now obviously proud of himself, "therefore when a certain someone used Furkiol, the

seal weakened. I've been working my way out of it for a couple of days now."

"But- Wait! Are you okay, D- Kratos?"

Lloyd dashed over to Kratos side as the teen stood up, panting somewhat.

"Y-yes...I'm fine," he said, "I just...feel funny..."

The 'elder' frowned at Kratos, who did indeed look like something was wrong. He had this spacey, far-off look on his face as if he was

dreaming, or else severely tired. Lloyd's eyes went to the crystal...

"Allow me to remove that," Origin said.

He snapped the fingers on one of his hands and the crystal shattered, as if it was never there.

"..." Kratos swayed, his eyes misted.

"Are you-?" Lloyd started again.

Kratos shook his head violently, looking at Lloyd before shaking his head again and more violently. The auburn head stared at Lloyd and then

looked around at the rest of them, as if puzzled.

"...Kratos?" Lloyd asked. "Are you okay?"

"Huh-? Uh...yeah, sure," he nodded, "but uh...a question..."

There was a long pause as the spiky-head stared at Lloyd. Yuan slowly began to say something when Origin let out a slight sound of irritation

and brought a finger to his chin.

"Ah...well...that must be a side-effect then..."

"Side effect-?" Yuan asked.

"A question?" Lloyd repeated, staring.

Kratos nodded.

"Yeah. I'm fine...."

The teen backed up about a foot from Lloyd.

"But who the heck are you?!" he shouted.

**MWHAHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAh-SNORT-MWAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAH-COUGH COUGH COUGH-!!**

**Colette: Uh-oh! Calm down! Breathe! Breathe!**

**Me: Hff...hff...right, sorry...n.n' Oh! Colette! I missed you! (hugs)**

**Colette: Really!?**

**Me: Er...no! Not really! (Shoves away) You hugged me, got it? (shifty eyes)**

**Colette: You're nice, you just don't like admitting it. **

**Me: Nice...right, that's why Kratos has amnesia! MWAHAHA-!**

**Colette: You'll start coughing again.**

**Me: No I-...oh shut up. Anyway, as you can see...n.n I love to mess with people. As you can see, I found more leeway to mess with...but it **

**won't last much longer anyway. Kratos' memory will be fixed JUST as soon as I do a certain scene I've really been wanting to but until **

**now haven't had an excuse to do...then I'll wrap it up. n.n Ehehehe...**

**Colette: Review please? n.n'**


	15. Blank

**Doot doot doot doo...! n.n Zelos' theme song is so catchy, nay? (Dances)**

**Colette: Um... Freakyanimegal owns nothing?**

**Me: Enjoy! (dances more to music)**

**Colette:...Well, that was kinda odd....(blink)**

**Blank**

"...What?" Lloyd said numbly, staring at the 'teen'.

"I SAID who the heck are you?" Kratos scoffed, glaring. "And how do you know my name?"

There was a long silence in which Lloyd stared at his father, then up at Origin.

"...What happened?" Yuan hissed.

"Well, the seal weakened when he reverted to this state," Origin explained calmly, "it weakened enough where I managed to worm my way

out of it, though whatever steps I used to meet that end must have had an effect on Kratos..."

"And what steps were those?" Raine asked.

"I'm afraid it is beyond a mortal's realm of comprehension," he stated.

"Try me,"

"So you getting free made him like this?!" Lloyd accused, pointing at Kratos.

"Made who like what? What are you guys- HOLY SHIT!"

Kratos turned and caught sight of Origin, falling over onto his rear in shock.

"What the heck is that thing?!" the teen yelped, wide eyed.

"'Thing'? How disrespectful," Origin snorted.

"You're a floating four-armed guy, what am I supposed to call you!?"

Origin rolled his eyes, disappearing in a blitz of mana.

_Come see me once he calms down, I tire of this._

"Why you-!" Lloyd shouted.

"Where'd he go!?" Kratos yelped.

He stared a minute before he quickly looked around the room, his head moving in frantic twitchy patterns like a squirrel, fear growing more

evident in his face by the second.

"Where AM I?!" he shouted. "What's that big glowing thing-? Who's that lady in it?"

"Uh-" Colette started.

Kratos had clambered back to his feet and looked at her, gasping as he back-stepped.

"Martel!? What are you doing he- Wait, you're not Martel...but then who...?"

"I uh..." the blond trailed.

"Who are all you people?" Kratos asked, backing away from the group. "Where am I? What's going-?"

He caught sight of Yuan, who looked as if he was trying very hard not to twitch.

"...Yuan?" Kratos said slowly, dumbstruck. "Yuan? Is that-?"

Yuan sighed, rubbing his forehead before he locked eyes with Kratos.

"Hey, dingbat," he said with a straight face.

"Holy SHIT it is you!!" Kratos yelped. "What's going on?! Why are you-?! Who-!?"

"Just calm down," Lloyd said, putting a hand on his shoulder, "please, we want to he-"

"Hey hey hey!" Kratos slipped out of his grip. "Don't touch me!"

"Okay..." Lloyd drew back, "...uh, look, we're- ...um..."

"What's the last thing you remember?" Yuan said, taking up the role as the one 'in charge'.

"What-? I..." Kratos' face fell, "..I...didn't...you and me just went to the factory-"

"Because I bet you you wouldn't have the guts to even step inside?"

"Yeah, actually-" Kratos glared, "...jerk."

"I see..." Yuan sighed, rubbing his forehead. "That's it then..."

"Yuan, care to tell us-?" Lloyd started.

"He doesn't remember anything after the Lestuk,"

"Lestuk? What the heck is that? Yuan, why are you old? Who are these people- ...and why am I wearing something like this?" he added in

disgust, looking at 'his' apparel. "Ugh...did I lose a bet?"

Lloyd grumbled to himself as Yuan smirked.

"No, not quite...look, you-"

"Am I in the future?" Kratos stared.

Yuan barely contained a laugh.

"No, you're not," he shook his head, "you're supposed to be here, but uh...something rather unfortunate has happened regarding your

memory."

"So I have amnesia?" Kratos asked. "But...if I just have amnesia, how come you're older and I'm not?"

"...Complicated," Yuan said simply.

"Well get to explaining it then," Kratos huffed, crossing his arms.

Yuan glared.

"I forgot how much of a little prick he was..." he muttered.

"What was that?" Genis asked.

"Nothing, all right...who wants to explain to Kratos?" Yuan asked.

Not surprisingly, no one volunteered.

"...You're not going to make me explain everything, are you?" Yuan's eyes twitched.

"Um...okay," Lloyd started, "uh...Kratos, you don't remember anything past going into that factory, right?"

"No, not-" Kratos looked at him.

There was a moment in where he stared.

"Lloyd,"

Lloyd flinched, as did the rest of the group when Kratos said his name.

"What-? You remember me?" Lloyd stared.

"Huh-? Well...I..." Kratos grimaced, "I remember your _name_... and you seem familiar...huh, I must have amnesia after all, then... Okay, so if I

just have amnesia and it's in the future that I don't remember...or something like that, then why is it I don't look any different? Besides the

tard-clothes, I mean..."

Lloyd grumbled again as Kratos pulled on one of the suspenders in disgust.

"There was an incident involving a spell of some kind," Yuan explained, "it changed your physical appearance. In reality you should be looking

as if you were in your late twenties."

"...Riiiiiight....and that's possible how?" Kratos huffed.

"It's either that or I suddenly aged," Yuan pointed out, "either way it seems impossible, yes?"

Kratos seemed to think about that a minute before he sighed in defeat.

"Okay, fine, it's not like anything else is making much sense anyway," he huffed, "so I got my age messed with and then something happened

to make me get amnesia? Well gee, I'm cursed aren't I?"

"Ill-fated, for sure," Yuan said snidely.

"You shut the hell up!" Kratos snapped, pointing at him.

The rest of the group tried very hard not to twitch.

"...What are you all staring at?" Kratos asked, directing his attention toward the rest of them.

"...You," Zelos said bluntly.

Kratos glared.

"Um...you don't remember us? Then I'm-" Colette started.

"Wait, no, no one tell him our names," Raine said.

"What? Why not?" Sheena asked.

"He remembered Lloyd, it might help him get his memory back if he has to figure it out on his own," she said, a calculating expression on her

face, "so if we just leave him to it..."

"Great idea!" Genis said. "Okay, Kratos, do you remember my name?"

Kratos stared at him blankly, taking in his appearance.

"Uh..."

"If we're gong to play this little game, I can think of better places to do it," Yuan stated, "we should work on getting out of here and then we

can decide what our next step should be. You all can try to revive Kratos' memory on the way."

"The way? Where are we, anyway? Nobody answered me," Kratos said.

"We'll explain on the way, now let's get going,"

"Um...another question," Kratos said, "...where'd I get this trippy sword?"

The group was granted the almost obscene gift of seeing Kratos call the Flamberge 'trippy'.

"...Nevermind that, you can use it, right?" Yuan asked.

"Well sure I can use it, but I was just wondering-"

"Let's get a move on," Yuan stated, turning for the exit.

"W-what? Hey! Don't ignore me!" Kratos snapped, irritated.

"Uh-" Lloyd started.

"What?!" Kratos snapped at him this time.

"..." Lloyd blinked.

"Uh- oh...oh, sorry about that..." Kratos said, his face falling.

"...Let's just get going, okay? Watch out for the monsters,"

"Monsters? Figures, this place creeps me out..." Kratos shuddered.

Everyone stared at him.

"...Would you all please stop that?"

They tried to stop staring at him.

"...Man.." Kratos sighed.

Kratos didn't know why he said sorry to Lloyd like that. Usually if he snapped at someone, he didn't give a damn who they were and normally

didn't care anyway. What was his name again? 'Lloyd'? Lloyd...why did he actually feel bad around him? Was this 'Lloyd' guy someone special?

"Um...Kratos?"

Kratos looked to his right, where Colette was walking.

"...Do you remember any of us yet?"

"I..." Kratos bit his lip, frowning before he sighed and shook his head.

"Oh..." her face fell.

"...Sorry," Kratos muttered.

"I...it's okay," Lloyd said, forcing a smile, "...so, do you remember anything else?"

"Um....your name is Lloyd," he supplied, frowning, "...I don't remember where we are...and-"

Kratos looked Lloyd full in the face and then visibly flinched.

"Kratos-?"

"Oh- OH! I remembered something!" he shouted, eyes bright.

"Really!?"

"Yeah! I remember-!"

They all stopped to look at him before his happy expression shattered, slumping over as if a deflated balloon.

"I lost it," he sighed.

The rest of the group sighed along with him.

"...H-hey! I'll keep trying!" Kratos stammered, flushed.

"...Teenager Kratos is so weird..." Genis whispered to his sister.

"Compared to his normal self, yes..."

The Sage siblings looked back at Kratos, who had just yelped as he almost tripped over a root.

"..." they blinked, then sighed.

"Well, just what we needed," Zelos joked, "an amnesiac, lovely, he was enough problems before-"

"Shut your trap, Zelos!" Kratos shouted.

"What?" everyone looked at him.

"W-what? You're taking his side? Was I really that bad-?"

"No, what did you call him?" Sheena asked.

"Zelos," Kratos blinked.

There was a moment of silence before Kratos jolted.

"Oh yeah! His name is Zelos! And the busty chick his keeps hitting on is Sheena, right?"

"Excuse me?!" Sheena scoffed.

"Yeah, it is!" Colette smiled and clapped. "Great! You remember their names!"

Kratos smiled and then performed a very Lloydish action of sticking his finger in the air.

"Well, I mean, it was only a matter of time and all..."

"Why does he look so proud of himself?" Presea said softly.

Regal shrugged.

"And Gorilla-man is Regal, right?"

Zelos burst out laughing as the company president raised an eyebrow.

"G-gorilla man! AHAHAHH!" Zelos laughed.

"What? Did I get the name wrong?" Kratos frowned.

"No, but that was rather rude," Raine stated.

"Whatever," he shrugged, rolling his eyes.

"Th-that wasn't very nice," Colette said softly.

"So?" Kratos said bluntly, almost causing them to stagger.

"Y-you should say you're sorry, to Regal, I mean," she blushed.

"You're right, he'd probably break my neck if I didn't..." Kratos bit his lip, glancing at Regal's robust arms.

Lloyd felt his eye twitch involuntarily. Somehow, Kratos was beginning to aggravate him. His snide- or actually, rather blunt comments were

annoying for some reason, and his entire attitude was lax and a little bit rude, even. That and...maybe he was a little disappointed. His father

had just came to...to admit, almost, his fatherhood and then right afterward he thinks he's seventeen again. Lovely. Not like a father-son

moment would really work with them physically how they were anyway...

"So...um...how old am I?"

Speak of the devil, he was talking to him.

"What?" Lloyd asked.

"How old am I? I mean, how old am I SUPPOSED to be, anyway?" Kratos asked.

"Didn't Yuan-?"

"Yuan said I was supposed to LOOK like I was in my late twenties," Kratos glared, "and if I know Yuan- well, I don't remember if he's still like

this, but never says everything right away."

"Well, that's true," Lloyd admitted, "wait, so you think you're older-?"\

"Well, if I look like this when I SHOULD look like I was that old, I'd imagine I could look that old and be older, right?" Kratos asked. "Or at

least...I'm getting this weird feeling."

Lloyd raised an eyebrow. He didn't remember, sure, but he was damn close anyway...maybe some part of him did remember, but it was just

taking a while to come out....

"But why would you think that?" Lloyd asked again.

Kratos looked at him a long minute, both males locking brown and wine eyes...

"...I don't know," Kratos sighed, looking away, "I just...I don't know."

Lloyd sighed. Crap, so close...

"Guys! Monsters!"

The group looked up as they were ambushed by several floral fiends, all of them drawing their assorted weapons. They pushed Kratos toward

the middle of their group as they had decided earlier, seeing as he was now technically the most inexperienced in means of memory. The battle

went on without much of a fuss until a certain young mage was tripped by the roots of a boxer iris, the half-elf yelping as it swiped in for him.

Lloyd went to eliminate the monster when Kratos got in the way of the monster's attack and took it for him.

"Kratos-!" Lloyd went wide-eyed.

Kratos staggered backwards a minute before he sliced one of the plant's limbs off a second before Lloyd killed it, just then another monster let

loose a cloud of poison gas and then Kratos did something he would certainly never have done normally. He charged right through the cloud

and hacked down the monster, apparently not caring if going through such would poison him to a deadly extreme. Raine noticed and quickly

cast recover as the teen began to stagger, Lloyd doing his best to keep anything from touching him. Once the fight was over, Kratos

immediately turned to glare at Genis.

"That was smooth, dumbass!" he snapped. "You tripped and that thing almost had you!"

"W-what-?! You-!" Genis started.

"You're not one to be talking!" Lloyd snapped, coming to his friend's defense. "You got poisoned very badly just a second ago you idiot! You

charged RIGHT INTO IT! Don't you know what that is?!"

"W-well yeah, it's poisonous, but I-" Kratos stammered.

"You knew it was poisonous but you charged it anyway?!" Lloyd scoffed.

"It came up behind me and I just- I just acted, okay?! I didn't think about-"

"OBVIOUSLY you didn't!" Lloyd snarled. "You need to think about things like that! Especially during a fight! You can't just blindly swing a sword

around and hope it kills something!"

"I wasn't-" Kratos protested.

"You did good protecting G- him, but you need to THINK about things-!"

"Look, I don't need to take this from you!!" Kratos snapped back. "You're not the boss of me!!"

"Even still, you-" Lloyd continued.

"I'm healed now, the kid is safe, what more do you want?!"

"You could have gotten seriously-"

"UGH!" Kratos growled. "You know what? I don't have to listen to a damn word you say!"

"You don't, but if you actually want to be a help instead of a burden on a battlefield then you need to take all advice that's offered," Lloyd

lectured, stunning the rest of the group into silence, "if you refuse something that can help you you're behaving like a child."

"...What happened to Lloyd?" Colette asked dumbly.

"Well maybe I'd rather be a child then take advice from you, then, think about that?" Kratos snarled.

"Why you little-"

Kratos flipped him off.

"I'm going to-!" Lloyd started.

"Both of you knock it off!" Yuan snapped. "This isn't the place! Save it!"

Both Aurions sent one last glare at each other before they looked away and actually continued onward, both of them silently smoldering in their

anger. Eventually Lloyd fell toward the back of the group and Raine slowly slipped behind with him, frowning.

"...Lloyd, are you all right?" she asked.

"I was just worried about him, and he had to act like that," Lloyd muttered, his teeth gritted, "seriously, I just didn't want him to get hurt and

he gets all defensive like that."

Raine looked at him in silence, an almost baffled look on her face.

"Then he has the nerve to go and-"

"But you were lecturing him," Raine pointed out.

"L-lecture-!? I was just telling him what he needed told to him and he completely over-reacted!"

It wasn't his fault! It wasn't his fault Kratos was being an idiot and some overly-defensive jerk! And he had the nerve to yell at Genis for

tripping when he went and did something like that?! Stupid! What if Raine hadn't been able to cast recover in time? What if Raine hadn't even

noticed it, what then?

"...You were worried about him," Raine said.

"Well of course I was, I just said that a minute ago," Lloyd growled, "I just wanted to make sure he was all right and then he gets angry at me

for- for- Goddess! I hate teenagers!"

Raine stopped to stare at Lloyd, who apparently didn't realize the massive irony that had just slipped out of his mouth.

"...What?" he asked, stopping as well.

"Lloyd, you do realize you're...." Raine sighed.

"I'm what?" Lloyd looked at her.

"...A...teenager," she finished.

"I-..." Lloyd's face shot red, "...o-oh...oh yeah-...did I just say that?"

"Yes," she nodded, "you did."

"...Do all adults feel like this?" he asked.

Raine smiled gently, thinking of all the times she had scoffed at her brother and students.

"Yes," she said, "it's normal when you're worried about someone you care for."

"...It feels weird," Lloyd muttered, glancing aside as if embarrassed.

Raine smiled softly.

"...W-what?" he asked.

"...Nothing, Lloyd," she said, walking ahead.

"Wait, what was that look? Come on, Professor...!"

In the timespan of a few more minutes, the group finally found fresh air outside of the Tower of Salvation. Kratos looked around and then

gaped at the huge tower.

"Holy crap that thing is tall-! What is it!?"

"It's the-" Colette started.

"Remember what the Professor said," Yuan said, "let's see if he can figure it out on his own."

"Feh," Kratos snorted, "fine then, be a jerk."

"What should we do?" Colette asked. "Do you think Origin can help with Kratos' memory?"

"Who?" Kratos asked.

"He did say to go see him once we got out," Lloyd said, "we have the aionis now, too-

"The what?"

"We've got the furkiol, too!" Genis said. "We can get you back to normal, now!"

"The what? Who? Get back to normal? What's wrong with him?"

"We may have the aionis, but the adamantite and sacred wood needed to fuel it..." Yuan frowned.

"The what and the what and the what?"

"Well, maybe we could-"

"WOULD YOU ALL STOP IGNORING ME AND FREAKING TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON!?" Kratos shouted, red in the face from irritation.

Everyone turned as the teen huffed, obviously angry at the lot of them.

"...Do you have a wingpack on you?" Yuan asked.

"Huh? Me?" Kratos blinked. "Um...I think- here's one! Huh, I must've- hey!"

Yuan snatched the wingpack and examined it, a smirk coming to his lips.

"What do you know, he had it the whole time," he stated.

"What? Had the wingpack?" Kratos asked dumbly.

"The sacred wood and adamantite are in there?" Lloyd asked Yuan.

"Yes, he didn't fool around I see..." the half-elf smirked and pocketed it.

"Who didn't-? ...You know, I'm just going to stop asking," Kratos sighed audibly.

"So the only thing that's left is to go see Origin," Zelos said.

"Okay, but first we can fix Lloyd!" Colette chirped.

"No," Lloyd blurted flatly.

They all stopped, turning to look at the brunette with expressions of shock.

"...W...what, Lloyd?" Genis asked numbly.

"I- I...that is, not yet," Lloyd said, "if we have to fight Origin first it's best I'm like this. Once we're done I can go back to normal."

Kratos, having grown bored of trying to figure things out, took to looking around the area attempting to see the top of the tower like some kind

of tourist with ADD. Lloyd, however, was very deep in thought now....

"Oh...okay, that makes sense," Colette nodded.

"It would be a wise course of action," Regal stated.

"Okay then, so I assume we're heading for Heimdal?" Raine asked.

"Yes," Yuan nodded.

The Seraph looked over at Kratos, who was currently muttering something about 'bigass towers'.

"...I suppose I'll tag a long with you all a little longer," he sighed, "to make sure certain people don't hurt themselves."

"...Does he still know how to fly a rheaird, you think?" Genis asked.

"Well...he should, we hot-wired his cousin's one time..." Yuan trailed.

"Hot-wired?" Sheena raised an eyebrow.

"...Simply put, we took it for a joy-ride,"

Zelos laughed.

"Hot-damn! And here I thought you were always a bunch of stiffs!"

"Silence yourself before I silence you," Yuan stated curtly.

"...Cold,"

So after a few minutes they managed to convince Kratos to board a rheaird and follow them, Lloyd once again finding himself drifting toward

the back lost in thought. No? Why had that word come so swiftly from him when they asked that? When they said he could go back to normal?

He wanted that, right? He wanted to go back to normal. ...Right? Of course he did, everything logical pointed to going back, so why was it that

somehow he... Somehow he didn't want to? Was it he had simply gotten used to it?

Some part of him felt it was just wrong to go back now, that he had settled on this. But he hadn't! Why was there this weird feeling that to go

back to being a teenager would be...pointless. Pointless? Come to think of it, everyone he knew and cared about had already accepted him,

and were getting used to him like this as well. Did he really have a reason or a need to go back to 'normal'? That and...he was actually a bit

fond of his new body. Tall, broad-shouldered, muscled, deep-voiced, handsome...hah, he could take Zelos any day; he already took his hunnies

in Meltokio, didn't he? But then...so what? He'd be like this again eventually, another ten years, time really does go by faster than you would

think.

"Ugh," Lloyd shook his head.

He had been doing quite a lot of thinking lately...something he would never do, usually.

Maybe-

"HEY! CHECK THIS OUT!"

Lloyd snapped to attention as Kratos pulled a barrel-roll, laughing.

"Hey!" he found himself snapping. "Be careful, these aren't toys! You could get hurt!"

"MAN you're stiff!" Kratos scoffed at him. "Your parents chain you to the wall or something?"

Lloyd stared at him.

"...W-what? Did I hit a touchy subject?" Kratos frowned.

"..."

Lloyd sped up with the others.

"Hey! You could at least-! I'm sorry, okay?!"

They BOTH needed to get back to normal, he decided, as soon as possible. The way things were going now, you'd think that Lloyd was the

father and Kratos was the danger-prone, reckless son.

"Heimdal's in sight," Yuan reported.

He looked down at it.

"Joy..." he muttered as an after-thought.

"Heimdal...?" Kratos muttered. "...Where-?"

He jolted violently, his face going pale.

"Kratos?" Genis, being closest, asked.

"...That was where... I met you guys at the gate there once, right?"

"Y-yeah," Colette nodded.

Kratos bit his lip, his face falling.

"We should be landing," Yuan stated.

The group landed at the gate to the village, Raine, Genis and Yuan lingering toward the back.

"What is your business here-?" an elf started, then caught sight of Yuan and Kratos.

Yuan stepped up in front of them, trying not to snarl at his obvious dislike of the elves.

"They need to see Origin, would you please grant the humans access?"

"S-silence half-elf-!" the other (obviously less intelligent) guard said.

"What's the meaning of this?"

The guards turned as the Elf elder approached. The old male took one look at Yuan before his eyes jolted to Kratos and Lloyd, his expression

darkening significantly.

"...I assume Kratos' current state has something to do with your leader?" he asked Yuan.

"Mithos is dead," Yuan said flatly, "the rest of them have come to see Origin. Kratos' memory is currently impacted otherwise I believe he would

currently be requesting entry himself."

The elder glanced at Kratos, who gave him a completely clueless expression rivaled only by Lloyd on a pop quiz.

"...I see, then how do you plan on releasing Origin?"

"Origin has already been released," Yuan stated, "Lloyd and the others are headed to make the pact."

"...Very well, they may enter," he nodded.

"...Then we'll see you when you get back," Raine said.

"Wait," Lloyd spoke up, "Elder, can't you let them into the village? They've been with us since the start, I only think it's right that they're with us

at the end too."

"No half-elf may enter the village!"

Lloyd glared.

"It was that attitude that gave rise to Cruxis!" he snapped. "It's because of your hate of half-elves that any of this started!"

"Why you-!"

"Silence!" the elder snapped. "...Until the pact is made, I will allow the half-elves in the village."

This seemed to surprise all of them, Yuan even more so.

"Seriously?" he asked. "You are actually allowing-?"

"They may not use any of our facilities, but you are all allowed," the elder repeated.

"...Thank you," Lloyd grinned.

"Y-yeah! Thanks!" Genis copied his friend's expression.

"...Well, I might as well see this through," Yuan muttered.

"Yuan is grateful too, as am I," Raine supplied.

Yuan sent her a brief glare and looked away.

"Let's head in," Lloyd said.

Lloyd looked over at Kratos, who once again looked deep in thought, his face furrowed. ...He remembered standing here before, didn't

he? ....And so far he remembered his, Zelos, Sheena and Regal's names...that was a start. There had to be something that would give him his

memory back, all of it. The 'teen' had already made some progress, so...?

"Heimdal," Yuan muttered, "I haven't seen this village in- a long time."

"A long time? How long?" Kratos asked.

"...We may have to spend the night here," Yuan ignored him, "or else we'll be traveling through Torent forest at night, and that isn't exactly the

wisest course of action."

"We all need a rest any how," Raine added, "...it's been a long day."

Lloyd nodded with a sigh. Of course it had been a long day...

"Okay everyone, meet back at the inn at nightfall," he said.

With that he headed off from the group.

"W-wait! Lloyd, where are you-?"

Lloyd looked back at her and smiled softly.

"I just want some time to myself, okay? I'll be okay,"

"Oh...okay..." she said meekly, her face falling.

Lloyd wandered off into the village, ignoring the odd looks the elves were giving him. Right now he really did just wanted some peace and

quiet...to forget it all for a couple of minutes. He was tired...not physically, not really, but mentally he was exhausted. One thing after another,

geez. Eventually he found a spot near the water and sat down, gazing off numbly into the reflection- damn it! The reflection! He could never

get away from things, could he? He growled and looked away, guilt eating at him. ...He should've stayed back there with Kratos, not have just

dumped him to the rest of them.. Ah! What did it matter? Since when was he in charge of Kratos, anyway? ...Wait, what was-?

Lloyd leapt to his feet and whirled around at such a speed the person coming up behind him was thrown off balance and hit the ground with a

very ungraceful 'thud'.

"..." Lloyd blinked.

"Ouch...geez..." Kratos muttered, getting onto his knees.

Figured.

"...I'm sorry, are you all right-?" Lloyd asked, offering him a hand.

"Yeah yeah, I'm fine, sorry," Kratos shook his head, getting to his feet, "...look, I just wanted to say sorry for...um, whatever I did to tick you off

so much."

Lloyd gave him a blank look, causing Kratos to fidget.

"...I...did do something, didn't I?" he muttered. "That's why you keep looking at me like that and stuff, right?"

"...You- no, never- just forget about it, it's okay," Lloyd sighed, looking away.

He caught sight of his reflection again but this time simply endured staring blankly into his own eyes. Slowly, a second reflection joined him as

Kratos came up beside him.

"...We look alike," Kratos stated dumbly.

Lloyd went to say something, but his throat caught and he only managed to grunt out a 'yeah'.

"...Hey Lloyd, I've been meaning to ask you...what's with that locket?"

Lloyd's gaze jolted to fix on Kratos' face.

"W-woah! Don't look at me like that! I'm sorry!" he yelped.

"My father gave it to me," he said, "it's a picture of my family when I was little."

"Oh..." Kratos' face fell.

A little too much, actually, which prodded Lloyd's curiosity.

"What's wrong?"

"...Must be nice," Kratos shrugged, "I never knew my dad."

Lloyd drew up a blank when it came to thoughts.

"N-never-?"

"Nah," Kratos shrugged, "ditched me and mom the day I was born, apparently. Not a big deal, happens all the time, right?"

The teen's blank expression changed from nonchalant to angered.

"I swear to the gods, though, if _I_ ever had a kid, it would take hell itself to keep me away from it! I wouldn't just abandon my kid and wife for-

for anything! They'd have to kill me! Do you hear me?!" Kratos shouted, talking more to himself than Lloyd now. "I wouldn't leave like a- damn-

!"

Kratos caught sight of the expression on Lloyd's face and shook his head violently.

"I- I'm sorry about that," he snapped, blushing, "...really, you didn't want to hear any of that. Sorry."

Lloyd did want to hear it, actually, he wanted to know the things about his father that he normally would never have been able to find out, that

normally his father wouldn't speak about to anyone, not even him. Kratos didn't know his dad? Well, neither had he until recently, but still...

"Hey, Kratos," Lloyd said.

"Yeah?"

Lloyd looked up at the sun, which was slowly creeping down into the horizon.

"...Do you like stars?"

"Stars-? Y-yeah...why?" he asked. "..Do you?"

Lloyd smiled weakly.

"Yeah, I love astronomy,"

Kratos grinned.

"W-wow, really!? That's awesome-! I mean, that is...I haven't met anyone else who really-"

"Would you like to look at them with me later?" Lloyd asked.

Kratos looked at him dumbly, as if he couldn't believe he had just asked that.

"S-sure!" he blurted, his eyes lighting up. "Sure! Definitely!"

Lloyd's smile grew into a grin.

Maybe this wasn't such a bad thing...if he could get to know his father more, then maybe when he got his memory back they could actually

really be father and son.

"Okay then," Lloyd grinned, "I'll hold you to that."

**Okay! Next chapter...is the last one! D: GASPETH!**

**Colette: It is? **

**Me: SWEET! I ended it in under twenty! (Happy dancing smilies)**

**Colette: Please review! n.n**

**Me: And expect sever oyako fluff next chapter! :D YAY!**

**CHRISTMAS IS COMING! D: SKLEE! MERRY CHRISTMAS! n.n Now I just need a candy-cane...I get candy-cane withdrawal...n.n lol.**


	16. Inverse End

**The last chapter....T.T I knew thee well, Growth Spurt, long shall I mourn your loss and revel in the reminiscence of the joys spent **

**together.**

**Colette: O.O**

**Me:...What? **

**Colette: That was almost...poetic.**

**Me: Why thank you! :D**

**Colette:...Christmas is coming, isn't it?**

**Me: D: How'd you know?!**

**Colette: You're being even more energetic and expressive than usual.**

**Me: :D ISN'T IT GREAT?! CANDY-CANES! SKLEE!!!**

**Colette:...Freakyanimegal owns nothing, thank you all for reading! n.n'**

**Me: SKLEE MORE!!!**

**Inverse End**

"That right there, see that? That one?"

"Yeah?"

"My mother named me after that one, she said it meant 'strength',"

"...I see..."

Lloyd smiled softly as Kratos grinned, having just pointed out the star that was his namesake. Sure, they should have been resting instead of

sitting on the roof of the inn checking out the night sky, but...neither of them really cared. Lloyd, in fact, would have gladly given up a week's

worth of sleep for these few minutes he had spent with Kratos on the roof, pointing out different stars and constellations. It was a competition,

almost, seeing who knew the most about the starry heavens. So far they were pretty even, actually...though Lloyd was more interested in the

little facts Kratos kept dropping here and there, like the bit about his mother.

"Didn't your parents name you after a star, too?" Kratos tilted his head to the side.

"What?" Lloyd blinked, staring at him.

"Well...that one," Kratos pointed to the sky, "Roido, say it fast and it kinda sounds like 'Lloyd' right?"

Lloyd could only gape at him.

"...Okay, maybe it's just me," Kratos shrugged, looking to the side, "...I like your name, though. 'Lloyd'...heh, it does have nice ring to it, is what

I'm trying to say I guess..."

Kratos smiled softly and brought his knees up to his chest, resting his arms on them as he looked skyward.

"...I feel...like I know you," Kratos said.

There was a split second of silence before he blurted out more.

"I- I mean, of course, I know I do know you- and I probably knew you better before and all-" he stammered, looking as if he had just said

something wrong, "but I- that is...I-"

"It's okay, you don't have to worry about it," Lloyd said.

"...But it's more than I feel like I 'know' you..." Kratos trailed, frowning, "...it's like...I..."

Lloyd thought maybe he should change the subject, but if he let Kratos keep on this he might remember something-...but then, maybe he didn't

want him to, not _quite _yet...

"What's your home-town like?" Lloyd asked.

"What?" Kratos looked up at him. "Don't you know that?"

"You...never said much about yourself before," Lloyd admitted.

"...Oh, well..." Kratos frowned, "...it's a city, you know...lots of buildings, lots of people...nothing special. ...What I want to know is what exactly

is going on here."

"Huh?" Lloyd blinked.

"In this time," he said, "the last I remember Sylvarant and Tethe'alla were at war, but it doesn't seem like they are now...and that tower wasn't

there either, I think I would have heard about one that big."

"..." Lloyd frowned.

"...Can you tell me?" Kratos asked. "Or is that something else you can't?"

Lloyd thought it over a minute. ...Sure, they wanted him to remember it on his own, but keeping him COMPLETELY in the dark wouldn't help

anything either...he must have been frustrated enough already. But what was he supposed to tell him? It's been four-thousand years, the

world's been split in two by a dictator we just killed who you and Yuan used to work for- and did I mention you're my Dad? ...Not happening.

"Ah, nevermind," Kratos sighed, "...then could you..."

Lloyd looked at him.

"...Could you tell me about your Dad?"

The twin-swordsman almost fell off the roof.

"W-what? Why-?"

"I'm sorry if it's something weird to ask," Kratos blushed, "it's just...I kinda want to know what they're-"

He shook his head.

"N-nevermind, forget it! It's stupid," he spat, blushing even more.

"...You want to know what Dads are like?" Lloyd finished, staring at him.

"..." he nodded briefly.

Lloyd stared at Kratos, then up at the sky.

"...Dads are like..." Lloyd trailed, "....they're like..."

He couldn't seem to find the words, but he knew what it was, he knew what it felt like but he just couldn't seem to make them into words of

any kind. What were Dad's like?

"...Dads are...warm," Lloyd said, "they...they make you feel safe, and warm, and...happy. ...They might be kind of...harsh, sometimes, and they

may make you feel like you're not good enough at others..."

Kratos was hooked on his words, and Lloyd found himself drifting into his memories. Kratos had always ticked him off, had always insulted him,

had always...protected him. Always did his best to protect him, keep him safe, keep him healthy, acting like he didn't care the whole time...

"But..." Lloyd smiled, "what makes you feel warm is when you know they care, under it all...and when they show they care, deliberately show

it, when they admit it..."

More than anything, he had said...

"...It makes you..." Lloyd smiled, closing his eyes, "it makes you so happy you just..."

"...I want to be like that," Kratos said.

"What?" Lloyd looked at him.

"...I want to be like that," Kratos muttered again, "...I want to be the kind of dad that can take care of their kid, that can love them."

A small, far-off smile came to his lips.

"I want to be the kind of dad that can care for them and love them and be strong enough to let them know it," Kratos grinned, "I want my

kids...to always be that happy, no matter what."

Lloyd choked, trying not to shake.

"...I- Hey, are you all right?" Kratos stared.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," Lloyd shook his head, his voice cracking.

Why was he saying that?! S-sure, he understood where he came from after he himself had said all that about a dad taking care of their kid,

but... Then it hit him. ...Kratos never had a father, so he wanted to be the best one for his own kids- for him.

"We should go in," Lloyd said, "it's getting late."

"Okay," Kratos said, "...can we do this again sometime? Maybe?"

Lloyd looked at him, the hopeful look in his eyes, the starlight a sheen on his spiky hair.

The hopeful look.

"...I'd like that, if you want to," Lloyd smiled.

Kratos grinned.

"Great! I'll just tell you when I want to, huh?"

"Just say the word," Lloyd smiled.

* * *

The next morning, the lot of them headed into the Torent Forest, again trying to keep Kratos out of the main battles. They had relatively no

difficulty in getting through the woods aside from almost getting lost once or twice, but found themselves at Origin's rock soon enough.

"What is that?" Kratos stared.

There was a flash as Origin appeared before them, startling the majority of the group.

"I see you've come as I requested," he said, "...you want my power, don't you?"

Lloyd stepped forward, determined.

"Origin..."

"Free as I am, I no longer desire a pact," he said coldly.

"W-what? Even if we make a vow? We need the E- the pact!" Sheena said.

Kratos muttered to himself, once again angered that he knew nothing of what was going on.

"I have lost my faith in your kinds," Origin glared, "I have no desire to be betrayed again-"

"Oh come ON!"

Everyone stopped and stared at Kratos, who came forward.

"Look, I may not know what's going on, or what a pact is, or anything else," Kratos huffed, "but I DO know this: for being some kinda spirit-

thing, you sure are being stupid!"

Jaws literally dropped. Yuan went to cover Kratos' mouth, startled.

"You idiot-! Keep your mouth shut-!"

Kratos knocked his hand away and moved forward toward Origin more.

"Someone let you down, so what? It happens," Kratos said, "you can't close yourself off from everyone else just because ONE person hurt you!

Labeling off EVERYONE as 'bad' or whatever isn't fair- well, life isn't fair, but it isn't RIGHT. It's...petty! That's what it is!"

"Petty...?" Origin glared.

"Damn right, it's petty!" Kratos said. "You're behaving like a little kid if you're too scared to try again! You're giving up! Look, I don't know what

happened and all...but it doesn't matter! Just because YOU were hurt doesn't mean you can hurt others, other people have all been hurt too!"

He fidgeted a bit, his face scrunched up again.

"I...you can't live like that, you can't live or- or even exist unless you..." he closed his eyes, "...if you give up trying to find the good in people

then...then you give up on everything that IS good, you know what I mean? Er...well..."

Lloyd stared at the teen, his mouth slightly agape. ...He didn't even remember and he was...sticking up for all of them, and not just sticking up,

to go against Origin like this was...well, not intelligent. Then...Kratos didn't exactly know who Origin was, but still...

"A-and if that's not enough for you!" Kratos continued, glaring up at the spirit. "...If you really need something to make you help..."

He looked at Lloyd, fidgeting a bit more before looking back.

"I...I don't know them very well, not them," he admitted, "...but...I remember the important things about them. I remember...."

He closed his eyes again, straining to concentrate.

"...I remember that they're good people," he said finally, "...they're good people."

Kratos bit his lip and glanced away, flushing slightly as if embarrassed. All the others could only stare, including Yuan. Yuan had known Kratos

for a VERY long time...and not once had he seen him talk like this since-...since they were kids. The half-elf smirked.

"...You've gottta admire he actually said that to you, though," Zelos said, "the 'petty' thing."

"...Prepare your weapons," Origin stated.

"Origin-!" Lloyd started.

"I will...try to believe in people," he smirked, "if one with no memory can still recall your souls, I have little doubt in you, especially if the one in

question is Kratos."

Lloyd stared a minute and then smiled.

"Come, prove your worth!" Origin said, materializing his weapons.

"Stay back," Yuan said to Kratos, "this is out of your league."

Kratos shot him a nasty glare before the rest of the group charged in. However, deciding to ignore Yuan's warning Kratos dashed into the fight

too only to be knocked out a few seconds later when Origin hit him upside the head. He caught sight of Lloyd's eyes widening just before he hit

the ground and everything went black...

* * *

_"...Mithos has lost it, hasn't he?" Yuan asked, his face downcast._

_He sighed and nodded his head._

"_...He's completely obsessed with reviving her," he said, "he's even gone so far as to do this to the world..."_

"_We didn't have a choice in the manner of the world," Yuan said, "they would have died, they had to be split until we found a way. ...It's just now that _

_we know the way, he won't let it..."_

_His face fell and his raised a hand to his head, deep in thought...and perhaps remorse. _

"_...What of his plans for the half-elves?" he asked._

_Yuan fidgeted a minute before he sighed._

"_...No offense, but...the humans will just cause more war,"_

"_...I understand," _

"_...Though I will admit this whole 'chosen' thing is...well, we're going to hell for sure, if we actually ever die,"_

"_..." he looked away._

What? What was this...? Mithos-? Mithos Yggdrasill, his obsession to resurrect Martel, the Chosen of Regeneration, the Tower of Salvation, the

angels, Derris-Kharlan... He..he knew this...He-

The Lestuk. It had done that to him and then all of this had-

....Oh no...

* * *

"Kratos!" a voice called. "Can you hear me? Kratos-!"

Kratos jolted upright at the voice, shaking his head as he tried to clear his thoughts.

"Are you okay-?"

"D-don't talk to me-" he muttered, closing his eyes, "d-..."

Then his eyes snapped open, taking in the sight of everyone around him.

"..."

"...Kr-?" Colette started.

"Did you make the pact?" Kratos asked. "Can you get the Eternal Sword now?"

Yuan twitched.

"Who told him about the-?" he started.

"No one did," Kratos said, "but they need the Eternal Sword to reunite the worlds, right?"

Lloyd stared at him.

"W...wait, do you remember now-?"

Kratos stood up, silently brushing himself off.

"...Yes," he said, "...most of it."

Yes, he knew everything about the pacts, what had happened in the past four-thousand years, and the fact he was that old, though there

were quite a few parts he still didn't quite grasp.

"...Why am I like this?" he asked slowly, his face wrinkled in a frown as his eyes became misted. "...I'm supposed to be Lloyd's age, right-?

Or...look it....I'm...missing something. How did I...?"

"Well, uh..." Genis started.

Kratos shook his head, glancing aside as the others looked at him strangely.

"I apologize, we need to make the ring of the pact now, correct?" he stated in his old manner, startling all of them a good measure. "...There's

a dwarf near Iselia, unless I'm mistaken?"

Lloyd seemed crestfallen.

"...Yes," he said.

Kratos noted Lloyd's sadness and the unease about everyone else and quickly added something.

"I- I'm sorry, I should have congratulated you on beating Origin," he smiled shakily, "sorry I wasn't of much help..."

"Uh...no, that's okay!" Colette smiled. "We're just glad you're all right, right guys?"

"Yep, sure," Zelos said offhandedly.

"Thank you Ch- Colette," Kratos said to her, "...that's kind of you."

"Well...now that we made the pact, let's go to Dirk's," Sheena said.

"Right," Raine stated, "the sooner the better."

"Though I would prefer it to be Altessa, he is not well enough to move as of late..." Yuan sighed, rubbing his forehead, "...Dirk will have to do."

"Have to do? He'll do perfect," Lloyd snapped.

Yuan smirked, shrugging somewhat.

"Right, right, I take it back, he's an expert craftsman after all,"

"And don't you forget it," Lloyd stated proudly, nodding.

And so they went to leave for Iselia, Lloyd's eyes often glancing at Kratos. He had remembered a lot, obviously, but...he didn't seem to

remember the stuff that was important- that is, the stuff that was important to him...he sighed.

"What a mess..."

* * *

So after arriving in Iselia, explaining (again) why one of their group had been 'altered' and requesting Dirk make the ring of the pact, they found

themselves having to stay overnight while the job was being done. Of course, they had left Kratos far from the conversation seeing as he did

not recall why he had changed, or the bit about Lloyd's father yet... Regardless, they had free-time and as such Lloyd took advantage of this

time to visit his Mother's grave, kneeling down in front of it like the last time he had been there.

"...Hey, Mom," he smiled, "...the worlds will be all right again, soon, and...I should be back to normal soon, too. ...Though I've got to tell you

something about-"

He glanced over his shoulder to find Kratos walking aimlessly around the yard, as if he was lost and didn't quite know what it is he should have

been doing, or if he even belonged there.

"...Then, I guess you've noticed," he sighed, "...he's remembering a lot, though, so maybe he'll be back to normal again too. ...Yuan said I can

use the Eternal Sword to put him back to the way he was once the seed sprouts. ...He doesn't quite remember about...you know, though, so-"

"Who are you talking to?"

Lloyd looked to the side as Kratos walked up to his side, an inquisitive glance in his eyes.

"...My mom," Lloyd said simply.

"...Ah, I see..." Kratos bit his lip, glancing aside, "...I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing already, you're-"

"Starting to sound like Colette," he finished.

"Y-yeah...nevermind," Lloyd shook his head, getting to his feet, "...did you want something?"

"...I was your enemy, why am I with you?" he asked flatly.

"What?" Lloyd blinked.

"...I'm with your group but I was your enemy," he stated, "...I...I can't remember why I changed sides. I know I had a good reason, but I can't

remember what it was..."

Lloyd went to say something when Raine cleared her throat, standing a few feet away. Once she caught their attention she waved a small

stone in the air, raising an eyebrow. Furkiol.

"Professor-?"

"...The fights are over," Raine stated, "Yuan and I can revert you now, if you want."

"Revert..." Kratos said slowly, "...what...?"

Raine flinched.

"You don't know?" she asked, worried.

"...Lloyd doesn't usually look like this, right?" Kratos glanced up at him.

Lloyd didn't say anything.

"...Of course, if you DO want to stay like that-" Raine started.

"W-what?!" Genis yelped, racing over. "Of course he doesn't want to stay like that, right, Lloyd?!"

"It is a possibility, Genis," Raine pointed out, "it's his choice-"

"Of course I want to go back," Lloyd said sternly, "...I can't stay like this anymore."

"...I see," Raine closed her eyes.

"...I'll be ready for this when it really does come, the way it's supposed to," Lloyd smiled, "until then I'm going back to the way I'm supposed to

be. ...Professor?"

"Yes?" she asked.

Lloyd smiled softly so his eyes seemed to gleam.

"Thank you,"

"Huh? For what?" Genis asked.

"She did keep my secret," Lloyd said, "and I've learned a few things from her too."

"...Well, I should hope," Raine smirked, "I am your teacher after all."

Lloyd grinned.

"Okay then...let's get Yuan and get down to business- where is he anyway?"

"Uh...well, I asked him to sample my cooking-"

"RAINE! YOU KILLED HIM!" Genis shouted.

Raine smacked him.

"Ow-! Hey, I'm not happy with it! How would we get Lloyd back-!? ...Though actually, once this is over I don't mind if the blue-haired bastard

keels over-" he spat.

Raine smacked him again.

"Watch your mouth! And don't say such things!"

"Oh suuuuure, stand up for your boyfriend!"

"He is not my-!"

"Swapping spit doesn't make him your boy-?! OW-!"

"Woah woah woah, what!?" Lloyd stared. "You and Yuan were-?"

The Sage siblings stopped, Genis still holding his arms over his head to shield a possible oncoming blow while Raine pulled her arm back. They

blinked and then looked at Lloyd.

"...Ah, about that-" Raine flushed slightly.

"Kissing?" Kratos raised an eyebrow. "Strangely, you seem like a good couple."

Raine glared at him darkly and was about to say something when Yuan came out, spitting out bits of whatever it was Raine had 'cooked'. They

stopped to look at him as he neared.

"Bleh...disgusting," he shuddered, "...so, are we going to administer the furkiol-?"

"Disgusting?!" Raine cried, glaring.

"...You're going to need to give me the furkiol if Lloyd-"

"Don't change the subject!!!"

Genis grinned evilly as Raine shouted at Yuan, Kratos smirking somewhat in amusement as Lloyd suppressed snickers. After a minute they

turned to Lloyd.

"All right, come inside and we'll fix you up,"

"Right," Lloyd nodded.

He looked at Genis and Kratos one more time before smiling reassuringly and walking off with them. ...Back to normal. He'd finally be back to

normal. Sure, he'd kinda hate losing all his extra strength, height and etc, but he had made up his mind. He wasn't supposed to be like this yet,

he'd lost a whole ten years of his life. Presea had lost a lot of her life-...Kratos had lost ten years of his life. ...He said before he lost his memory

that he didn't want the same thing to happen to him. ...So it was his father's wish he shouldn't be cheated...and every second of life was

precious, wasn't it? ...All right. He was going back.

....That, and Colette...agh, nevermind.

"Sit down,"

Lloyd did as he was instructed, sitting on the wooden chair.

"All right, take off your shirt-" Yuan started.

"What?" Lloyd stared at him.

"Oh please, it needs to be applied to the torso," Yuan rolled his eyes.

"...Oh, right,"

Lloyd complied and Raine involuntarily felt her eyes widen. Yuan took notice.

"...I look that good too, you know," he muttered.

"What?" Lloyd said again, even more unnerved than before.

Raine hurriedly changed the subject.

"All right, Yuan's going to apply it...it'll hurt, I'll heal you immediately after," she said.

"Healing right away should hasten the process," Yuan stated, "especially since we're not using the same force Mithos used on Kratos, you

should be back to your old self in minutes."

"So I won't fall asleep again?"

"You will, just not for very long," he stated.

"Yes," Raine nodded, getting into position, "okay Lloyd, get ready."

Lloyd nodded.

"...On the count of three," Yuan said, placing the stone on Lloyd's back, "...one-"

"ARGH-!" Lloyd cried out in pain. "Wh-what happened to three-!?"

"You would've tensed by then," Yuan's voice said cockily.

Lloyd went to give Yuan a piece of his mind before he felt his lids droop-

And then he fell asleep.

* * *

Outside, Kratos was looking at Anna's grave, frowning.

"...Anna..." he whispered, "...I know that name. ...I know it. ...Where..?"

He groaned and held his head. Remember! He had to remember! Anna, who was Anna? Feh, fine, he remembered the four-thousand years

after the Lestuk but he didn't remember-...a gap. There was a gap spawning about five years...or was it nineteen years? ...He remembered the

Journey of Regeneration, he remembered the pacts they attempted, he remembered the tree going out of control, he remembered everything

except-...Lloyd. All the parts with Lloyd during that were...blurry. Like he knew some things, but some of the others facts that were right in front

of him were...distorted.

"Think..." he murmured.

Then, why had he gone back to this anyway? He was old, ancient, and he looked fully-grown...why was he a teenager? Why was Lloyd

different? Was there some connection...? He found himself sitting in front of the grave, trying to remember desperately. There was something

so important about this...why couldn't he remember it...? His eyelids fluttered before a yawn escaped him... It had been a long day, he

supposed he should go inside and get some rest. Tomorrow would be a big day too, of course... So without much more thought to his

exhausted psyche he entered the house and gladly fell asleep upon the mat Dirk had pulled out for him. Dirk...there was something about him

too- Wait! That was it! He jolted upright, he was the only one in the large main room where Dirk was at work...

"S-sir, could I ask you something?"

The dwarf looked at him over his shoulder.

"...Yes?" he asked.

"...You raised Lloyd, right?"

Dirk raised an eyebrow. The group had told him to keep quiet about...well, almost anything, especially Lloyd's upbringing. Then how did he...?

Then, he could be remembering, like Raine said...

"Aye, I did,"

"...So...you're his...father...?" Kratos frowned, biting his lip.

Now that was an awkward situation.

"...'E's my son, just as much as he is his real father's," Dirk nodded.

"...I..." Kratos shook his head, wincing. "...No...what did I-?"

Then the Seraph quite suddenly lost himself again. He remembered everything except the most important facts...something so, so important...

And this guilt. Where did it come from? Why did Dirk saying that he was Lloyd's father bother him so much-?

"Are ya all right-?" he started.

"I- I'll be fine," he grunted, "...I...I just...I'm fine."

Then suddenly, it hit him.

Anna...Anna had been in the ranch, Anna had been his-...his...wife.

That could only mean that Lloyd was-

There was a loud sound as a boy in red stumbled down the stairs, yelping in pain as the sound of Yuan's laughter from upstairs echoed, Raine's

giggles accompanying it. The brunette in a heap at the bottom of the stairs wearing too-large clothes huffed and glared up at the half-elves

toward the top.

"Okay okay, I KNOW I should've changed first-!" the teenage Lloyd shouted.

Then he knew.

Lloyd was his _son_.

"Lloyd!" Dirk grinned. "I see the professor and her boyfriend fixed ya up!"

"Boyfriend-!?"

"Yep!" Lloyd grinned, excited. "See? I'm short again! ...Er, shorter! Are the others still outside-?"

Lloyd locked eyes with Kratos, who was gaping at him.

"...Uh....yeah," Lloyd looked down at himself, "...I'm supposed to look like this, see-"

"Lloyd..." Kratos whispered slowly.

He was his father. His FATHER. A father that had let his son be raised by someone else- who had murdered his child's mother, who had

abandoned him, who had left him for dead and didn't even have the guts to tell him when he found him-

He was a horrible father. Just like the one he said he'd never be.

"...Kratos, are you okay-?" Lloyd started.

How could he look at him? After what he had done- and that night in Heimdall- No! How could he have said that?! Lloyd must have hated him

even more for saying all that about wanting his children to be happy, while he was right there! And he had left him! He had abandoned him!

No-!

"Kratos, what's wrong-?!" Lloyd started.

"I left you," he choked, eyes wide, "...I abandoned you..I abandoned my _son_..."

Lloyd's eyes widened.

Kratos ran out of the house, Lloyd's voice calling him back. The ex-Seraph tore into the woods, ignoring the questions by the rest of the group

as he dashed off into the plants. No! How could he have been so stupid!? How could he have been such and IDIOT!? All those things he had

said in Heimdal....he was hurting Lloyd, even without his memory! Why was he always making things worse?! Couldn't he do anything right-?!

"Kratos-!"

Lloyd had caught up to him? He was definitely faster than he would have suspected. Kratos tried to avoid him but Lloyd grabbed his arm. The

false teen wrenched his arm away and then Lloyd did the only thing he could thing to do to make him stop.

He tackled him.

"Guh-! Let me go-!"

"Kratos, calm down-!"

"Let me-!"

"DAD! STOP!"

Kratos stopped. Just stopped, he didn't think, he didn't move, he didn't breathe. He was frozen as Lloyd lifted him up into a sitting position and

then hugged him tightly.

"...Dad, it's okay..." the brunette whispered, holding his father close, "it's okay-"

"I-"

"You didn't abandon me," Lloyd whispered, "...you came back, you helped me, you...you did what you could to keep me safe, and you...loved

me. You didn't abandon me."

"...Lloyd-" Kratos choked.

"Do you remember what happened before we fought Mithos?"

Before Mithos? ...They...they got separated from the others and there was that trap-

...and he had said 'more than anything'.

"...Lloyd, I-"

"You love me, Dad, so you are my Dad," Lloyd mumbled, his face in Kratos' shoulder, "...I'm sorry if I hurt you."

"I hurt you-" Kratos retaliated.

"Don't worry about it," Lloyd looked at him and smiled, "...you...it's okay now, okay?"

"...How can I ever make it up to you?" he whispered.

"Well...you could hug me back," Lloyd laughed nervously.

"..."

"I was just kidding," Lloyd stammered.

"..."

"...So...you do remember everything now?"

"...Yes," Kratos stated.

"...I was talking about you, you know," Lloyd said.

"Hm?"

"...When I was talking about what dads are like..."

Kratos flinched. That conversation....how much had he messed up?

"I-" Kratos started.

"I was talking about you," Lloyd said again, "...when I was talking about how wonderful it feels for them to admit it...I was talking about you,

what you said before we fought Mithos..."

Kratos could only stare at him.

"...Lloyd, take this..."

"Huh?"

Kratos unsheathed Flamberge and handed it to his son.

"...Why are you-?" Lloyd started.

"I owe it to you," Kratos answered softly.

"D-"

The ex-Seraph got to his feet and began to make his way away from Lloyd.

"W-wait, where are you-?"

"I just need a moment, I'm sorry," Kratos whispered.

"...D-" Lloyd started.

"Leave me alone," Kratos whispered.

With that he left his son for yet another time, unable to bear it.

"...Dammit," Lloyd muttered.

It was the next day after that when things began to calm down. Using the ring of the pact and the mana from Derris-Kharlan, they had

managed to revive the giant tree and create a new pact with the spirit that had been born with it. So now, their first day in the newly united

world was spent together taking a well-deserved rest. After all...there was still one thing they- meaning Lloyd- had to do. Kratos sat far from

everyone else, staying as secluded as possible. He hadn't said anything to anyone since Lloyd had returned to normal, he had barely even

looked at any of them. Not to say they hadn't tried, almost everyone attempted to get him to talk (to Lloyd, mainly) but none succeeded in their

effort. They had been resting in Meltokio, at Zelos' request, but that didn't seem to help the situation seeing as it gave Kratos an opportunity to

stay even further away from them.

"...Um...hey, Kratos-" Genis started.

"I'm sorry, I don't want to talk right now," Kratos said numbly, walking away.

The half-elf huffed. He couldn't just ignore them forever! Didn't he realize that this was hurting Lloyd too?! No one hurt his best friend!

Especially-! ARGH! It was so frustrating! He glared at the still-teen as he made his way out the mansion doors...

"Hey, Genis,"

He looked up and had to shake his head a minute when Lloyd walked up to him. After all, since Yuan said it wouldn't be wise to use the sword

so quickly after reuniting the worlds, they hadn't been able to turn Kratos back yet. Of course, now that meant they had two teenage Aurion

swordsmen walking around in that same outfit, with the same face...yeah, disturbing.

"Y-yeah? What is it, Lloyd?"

"D...did you see where-?"

"He went out into the city," Genis said immediately, "he's still in a funk."

"...Okay, thanks," he smiled weakly, then headed out.

"...Good luck, Lloyd," the half-elf sighed.

Lloyd didn't have much trouble finding his father, seeing as he was wearing his outfit... Damn, no wonder he was always getting captured. Was

he that easy to track? Maybe the Renegades were right...his outfit did stand out a lot. Oh well, it made it easier for him this time. Lloyd ran up

to Kratos as he wandered aimlessly through the plaza, grabbing his shoulder.

"Kr-"

"Lloyd, I don't-" Kratos sighed.

"You don't want to what? You don't want to talk to me?" Lloyd growled.

"What-? No, that's not-"

"You've gotta stop this!" he snapped. "You can't stay all mopey forever-...well, maybe you could, but I won't let you!"

"Lloyd-" Kratos started.

"I know you feel bad, and I know how hard this all must be for you after losing your memory and all..." Lloyd bit his lip, "...but...but if you're mad

at yourself, it's okay! I'm not mad at you-"

"How?" Kratos snapped, turning to face him. "How could you possibly not be mad at me after all I've-?"

"Would you WAKE UP?" Lloyd snapped "I've forgiven you, for everything! I don't care about the past anymore, I don't! What matters is that

you're here now, and-"

"I-"

"If you feel bad for 'abandoning' me then stop IGNORING ME!!" Lloyd shouted.

Kratos stopped, watching as Lloyd began to attempt to calm himself with deep breathes. ...He was right. He was doing it again. He had been

so...ashamed, of what he had done to his son that he just ended up abandoning him again, in a sense...what was he supposed to do? How

could-

"AHAHHAHAHAH!"

Both teens looked up, catching sight of the source of the laughter. A group of fighters had just come from the coliseum, evidently having won if

their cocky attitude was any hint. A group of four gladiators of which the leader was pointing at the two of them and laughing.

"HAH HAH! Look at that! They mmaaaatch! Isn't that ADORABLE?" he cackled.

Lloyd flushed and Kratos glared.

"Y-yeah! What's a matter?" the second cooed. "Your mommy dresses you like that?"

"Their mommy has no sense of fashion," a female sorcerer cackled.

"Wait, we shouldn't be too hard on them," the largest member guffawed, "moms like making sure their twins always match and stuff, they just

got a short end of the stick-"

"Twins!? Oh geez, not this again..." Lloyd sighed.

Kratos snorted.

"Aw look, I think they're mad,"

"Oh no! They might whip us with their suspenders!"

"H-hey-!" Lloyd started.

"I'd kindly request you stop that," Kratos hissed.

"And what are you gonna do about it?"

"Careful, he could dress you,"

"AGH!" one mocked a gasp of horror.

"That's it-" Lloyd started forward.

Kratos held out a hand to stop him.

"Lloyd, calm down, they aren't worth your time,"

The group laughed louder.

"Aw, he's trying to protect him!"

"Yeah, I mean, his brother looks retarded, so maybe-"

In less than a second the speaker (the largest) was on the ground howling in agony. The rest of his group gaped at their companion and then

up at Kratos, who had unsheathed his sword and was glaring death at them.

"Would any of the rest of you desire to insult him?" Kratos asked simply.

"H-hey! You little-!"

They all charged at once, and just as quickly they all found themselves groaning on the ground. Kratos sheathed his sword, bristling.

"Let that be a lesson to you," he spat, "come on, Lloyd."

With that he turned on heel and began heading back for the mansion, Lloyd staring about at the scene before following after him.

"W-why did you do that?" Lloyd asked. "You didn't have to-"

"I know," Kratos said simply, "...but they...agitated, me."

"..Heh heh," Lloyd grinned.

"...Heh," Kratos smirked.

So they made their way back into the noble's quarters when Lloyd stopped.

"...What is it?" Kratos asked.

"...I...I can probably turn you back now," he said, "if...if you're ready."

Kratos looked away.

"Of course, whenever you feel like it," he nodded.

"...Okay," Lloyd nodded, "...so once we get inside, then?"

"...As you wish," Kratos said simply.

Lloyd sighed. For a minute there, he thought Kratos had gotten out of that funk...and then he was right back in it. Damn! ...Oh well, he'd have

to try again later. Once they were inside, Raine instantly rounded on them, her brother cowering behind her.

"Where have you two been?!" she scoffed.

"...Didn't Genis tell you?" Lloyd said simply.

"Yes, but you left without a word to any of us-"

"He just said he told Genis, did he not?" Kratos supplied.

"I was talking about YOU," she glared.

"...Ah," he said simply.

"Professor, you know you're not really-" Lloyd started.

"I know, but any time he does something stupid you're sure to follow," she crossed her arms.

"...My apologies," Lloyd said smoothly, "you know how impulsive I can be."

Raine's jaw dropped and Kratos turned slowly to stare at his son.

Genis was in a catatonic state.

"What?" he asked.

"Y-you...you-" Raine stammered slightly.

"Well, I was going to yell, but then I thought a minute that maybe she was just worried and I do tend to do stuff without thinking that gets me

into trouble..." the brunette trailed.

"...Lloyd," Genis said, "stop it, you're scaring me. You're not an adult anymore, so please...never do that again."

"What, think?" Lloyd blinked

"No, I mean...well, yes...nevermind," the boy sighed.

Kratos smirked.

"...You have grown up," Raine smiled, "just naturally."

"Aw, geez Professor..." Lloyd laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well, anyway..." Genis trailed, "...what were you two doing?"

"Having some bonding time!" Zelos sing-songed.

"When did you get here?" Lloyd asked, seeing the ex-chosen appear from nowhere.

"I live here!"

"Oh yeah..."

"Ouch!"

"W-well, anyway..." Lloyd said, mimicking Genis, "...I'm gonna turn Kratos back now, so-"

"Already!? Wait, wait, before you do that I need to do something!" Zelos said.

"...And what pray tell would-?"

Zelos stuck a finger in his mouth, grabbed Kratos and then stuck the slobbered finger into the Seraph's ear.

"WET WILLIE!!"

"Agh-!" Kratos cried.

"Zelos-!"

Genis snorted.

"AHAH! I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO- OW! OW! HEY-! OOWWWW!"

A few seconds later Kratos glared down at the twitching form of Zelos, growling.

"...It could've been worse, he could've killed you," Genis said, poking him.

"AHAHHA!" Sheena laughed, having been drawn by the sounds of a beating along with everyone else.

"...Right, well if Kratos is going back to normal...does he have any of his old clothes?" Raine asked.

"I have my mercenary garb in my wingpack," Kratos nodded.

"Aw, you had it the whole time? Why didn't you tell me?" Lloyd whined. "It would've been fun to try on that one, too!"

"..."

"Well, you'd better go change into those then, unless you want your clothes to rip off..." Raine trailed.

"...Yeah..." Sheena trailed.

Both women stood in silence for a minute, and even Presea slowly tilted her head to the side in thought.

"...Why are you guys blushing?" Colette asked.

"We're not!" they all shouted (except Presea).

"...I have no comment," Regal stated.

"Eeeewwww!" Genis shouted.

"Guys, that's my dad you're talking about..." Lloyd twitched.

Kratos coughed into his hand.

"I'll be right back..."

With that the Seraph took his wingpack and left the room.

"...Then again, Lloyd...did YOUR clothes rip off when you changed...?" Sheena asked, blushing.

"Huh? Well...the pants fit because they were big before anyway, that's why I wear suspenders," he said, "but my jacket kinda...er...well, I

ripped it when I moved..."

There were assorted stares.

"...What?"

"...Your shirt ripped off?" Raine said slowly.

"Er...yeah," Lloyd said, having thought that was obvious, "because my shoulders didn't fit and-...guys?"

Sheena, Raine and Presea had adapted distant looks between daydreaming and embarrassment.

"...Oooooohhhh...." Zelos smirked.

"Huh?" Colette blinked.

"Oh mother of mana, I can't take much more of this..." Genis moped.

"Huh?" Lloyd mimicked Colette.

The half-elf smacked himself.

"...I'm back,"

Kratos entered, fidgeting as he tried to keep his purple garb from slipping.

"You look funny," Lloyd grinned.

"Hmph, this isn't any different than when I first changed..." he pointed out.

"True...well, okay, here we go," he took out his swords, "stand back, everyone."

Everyone gave the two Aurions some space when Lloyd conjured the Eternal Sword into his hand, Kratos standing before him. The spirit's voice

began to ring out in their minds.

_What is it you seek, master of the pact?_

"...Change Kratos back into an adult," he said.

_Understood._

There was a bright flash of light and they watched a few seconds after, looking at Kratos. For a minute, it appeared nothing had changed

before the male aged before their eyes, growing to fit his clothes once more. The Seraph sighed in relief and Lloyd smiled softly.

_It is done._

And then the sword was dismissed.

"...Whew, it worked," Lloyd smiled.

"...I'm glad that's all over," Kratos trailed.

"Y-yeah..." Lloyd smiled.

Kratos and Lloyd locked eyes. The two males both went to say something, then stopped, then repeated their actions before sighing and

looking away. Their friends sighed with them.

"Morons," Genis muttered.

"...Well, this means...everything's over, right?" Sheena asked. "We've done everything we need to do..."

"Well...yes, but that doesn't mean our friendship is over!" Colette smiled.

"Right," Lloyd grinned, "and personally, I think since we totally deserve it-"

"Way ahead of you bud! PARTAY!!!!!" Zelos shouted. "SEBASTIAN!"

"Sir," the butler said, appearing from nowhere.

"How'd he do that?" Genis stared.

"Is he a ninja too...?" Colette wondered.

"Prepare the servants, me and my buds are having a party!"

"Right away, sir,"

"WOO! LET'S GET DOWN WITH OUR BAD SELVES!" Zelos cried.

"..." Kratos blinked.

"Yeah, this'll be fun!" Lloyd grinned.

As the rest of the group prepared for their 'Saved the World' party, Kratos lingered toward the back watching Lloyd. ...Before, he thought that if

he survived releasing Origin, he'd want to leave on Derris-Kharlan...but... It didn't matter. Lloyd had used the sword too often in the span of a

few days. If he wanted to go or not, he would have to stay for a while longer. ...Though by then the comet may have already drifted too far...

"H-hey, D- ...Kratos?"

Kratos looked down at Lloyd, who grinned sheepishly.

"Hey, I've actually gotta look UP at you now," he chuckled.

"...So it would seem,"

"...I was wondering-" Lloyd started.

"Courage,"

Lloyd stared at his father, blinking before the stoic man continued.

"...Roido means courage," Kratos trailed, hesitant, "...that's why I named you Lloyd."

The teen gaped at his father, his eyes wide and a faint flush creeping into his cheeks. Kratos glanced away, coughing somewhat as if

embarrassed. After a minute Lloyd smiled.

"...Thanks," he said.

"...It was strange, being young again..." Kratos trailed, "...I can not honestly believe I said that to Origin..."

"But you totally had him! It was awesome!" Lloyd grinned.

"..Heh," Kratos smirked softly, "...perhaps...it was a good thing, that it had happened."

"...I thought it was," Lloyd admitted, "I mean- you know, because...I got to know you a little more."

Kratos looked at him a moment before nodding.

"I see...Lloyd,"

"Yeah?"

"...You said if I wanted to look at the stars with you again, I just had to say the word,"

The teen looked confused a minute before his eyes lit up and a grin spread on his face.

"Yep, I did,"

"...Would you like to look at them tonight?" Kratos asked slowly.

Lloyd laughed.

"Of course, Dad,"

His father smiled.

**Awwww! It's so fluffy! It's-! It's-! ...Over. O.O**

**Colette:...um...Freaky-?**

**Me: It's OVER! D: Wow... That's so strange, isn't it? n.n'**

**Colette: But it was fun, right? n.n**

**Me: Why...yes it was. n.n Thanks for reading, everyone! :D**

**Colette and Me: MERRY CHRISTMAS! n.n **


End file.
